She's The One
by mirajanewolf46
Summary: Ever since I joined the BAU, I didn't expect I'm letting my guard down. In which Novilene Cruz, the famous daughter of Jason Gideon meet up on Seattle until they persuade her to join them. The full summary can be found on my profile and it's also available on Wattpad.
1. Author's Note

Guys, I have a confession to make. I'm planning to rewrite the whole story because there are some guest reviewers from, are complaining we're copying and using their property without seeking permission from CBS. I'm not going to name which the author receives a threat coming from them if we don't remove it as soon as possible.

My friend warned me to rewrite all my work considering I haven't received one yet. She's worried about my well-being as most of us aren't rich enough to pay fine or facing the court for violating Copyright Law. I don't want to face worse as I'm working part-time as Nursery teacher.

I need help, I'm a busy person who's attending college, babysitting my sibling and dog 24/7 and work. I rarely update my work and I need someone who's willing to help me out to rewrite all these chapters. If you're willing to help me, I'll put in every chapter of your credits from Wattpad, Quotev and Fanfiction. Message me privately so we can discuss our plans.

I'm going to delete all the chapters today and I hope you guys understand.

I'm very sorry guys and please understand it's not easy for us as a writer to ignore this threat very lightly.


	2. Prologue

**_Before you're going to start reading this story. I wanted to stay I don't own Criminal Minds, Mission Impossible, BBC Sherlock, NCIS. I only own few characters such as Novilene Cruz, Maricar Cruz, Alex Hunt, Phoebe Dobrev, Steve Dobrev and other casts that don't belong to this story._**

* * *

 ** _Being part of the IMF is a very huge responsibility for me. Why? Being part of a Spy Agent is quite hard especially when you're the youngest of their group. The hardest part is keeping secrets from other people you love in order for them not to get in danger because of my job. People always judge you because of our age is not suitable enough to join in. However, I prove them wrong that I'm qualified enough to fit in this job... even if it risk my life for the sake of succeeding the mission and save peoples lives._**

 ** _The very challenging part after doing the mission, all of us are going to separate our ways not to get in radar from them... rather... doing another job that could make your life busy while waiting for them to call you again for another mission. Life is full of a challenge, especially you didn't contact your dearest someone, like a father for instance. The father should always be there for his daughter but he disappeared in 2 years now._**

 ** _My name is Novilene Marie Serenity Cruz, one of the elite Agents in IMF, the first female youngest Agent, master in disguise and human lie detector. This is how my story begins._**

* * *

 ** _Being part of the IMF is a very huge responsibility for me. Why? Being part of a Spy Agent is quite hard especially when you're the youngest of their group. The hardest part is keeping secrets from other people you love in order for them not to get in danger because of my job. People always judge you because of our age is not suitable enough to join in. However, I prove them wrong that I'm qualified enough to fit in this job... even if it risk my life for the sake of succeeding the mission and save people's lives._**

 ** _The very challenging part after doing the mission, all of us are going to separate our ways not to get in radar from them... rather... doing another job that could make your life busy while waiting for them to call you again for another mission. Life is full of challenge, especially you didn't contact your dearest someone, like a father for instance. The father should always be there for his daughter but he disappeared in 2 years now._**

 ** _My name is Novilene Marie Serenity Cruz, one of the elite Agents in IMF, the first female youngest Agent, master in disguise and human lie detector. This is how my story begins._**

* * *

A man in his mid 40's staring down at the picture of a young woman hugging the teddy bear with a huge smile on her face. He smiled and at the back of the picture has a message letter coming from her. Reading the letter through his reading glasses and failing to notice a young man is looking at him curiously. Wondering what makes his mentor smile while reading the letter.

 ** _I've finally found my cuddly teddy bear before going back to work reality. I know that you're wondering why I'm coloring my hair into light brown hair... I decided to color it and Phoebe helped me to do my hair._**

 ** _I miss you, dad, and it's been 2 years that we haven't seen each other. We haven't contact each other after the funeral of mom... dad, I'm always here for you if you need me._**

 ** _To be honest? I don't even know why you didn't reply to all my letters, emails or phone calls no matter how much I've tried to understand you..._**

 ** _There are a lot of questions that I need answers but it ends up in a blank like a void. I've been keeping myself busy rather than moping around thinking of you. Have I done wrong? Please talk to me dad._**

 ** _Your daughter,_**

 ** _Novilene_**

He sighs quietly and knowing his daughter is right that it's been 2 years that he didn't visit his daughter. Jason Gideon, a professor in BAU (Behavioral Analysis Unit) and the father of Novilene Cruz. His daughter is one of the youngest female Detective and Captain in the London Metropolitan Police. Gideon was very proud of his daughter that she got a promotion just like her stepbrother, Ethan Hunt.

He always misses his daughter everyday and thankful that Novilene is a kind, caring and understanding daughter. She always cares about other people before herself and Gideon admires her courage.

"Gideon?" He looked up to see one of the Agents of BAU, Dr. Spencer Reid. "I notice that you smile when you receive a letter from someone."

"I miss someone very special to me." Gideon spoke and Reid looked confused wondering who this person is. "I have a daughter and was married before."

Reid was surprised that this man was married and have a daughter before. He wondered why Gideon didn't mention to anyone that he has a daughter and ex-wife. It wasn't in his place to pry his personal life despite Reid knows him for a long time.

"What happened?" Reid asked curiously and Gideon hand over another picture of his daughter wearing a white dress.

"Maria, my ex-wife and I have a lot of problems... our love was change and decided to get divorced." He sighs sadly when Maria fell in love with someone else. It breaks his heart seeing the woman he loves is in love with someone else. "She was okay if I spend time with my daughter, Novilene." There are times Maria is trying to control Novilene's life but luckily she has his stubborn attitude and do what she wants.

"How old is she?" He admired the beauty of Gideon's daughter and noticed they have the same eye color, dark brown. "You have the same eyes."

"She's 22 years old and Angelique would be too as well." He sighs sadly remembering his other daughter Angelique. "Angelique and Novilene are twins but Angelique died when she was born after Novilene came out."

"I'm sorry for your loss, Gideon." He smiled in sympathy and stared at him in disbelief. "Novilene is 22 years old? She's younger than me by a year then." Reid wasn't expecting Gideon's daughter would be younger than him and people would get mistaken by her looks around 18-years-old.

"That's right, her birthday is on December 25. She's my Christmas daughter." He spoke in a proud tone and smiled. "Novilene became a Captain from London Metropolitan Police in England for 3 years now. Proving to everyone she should be treated with respect despite her age difference from them."

"Wow." He shakes his head and staring at the picture. Reid couldn't believe that this woman became a Captain from London Metropolitan Police at a very young age but he can't help but admire her ambitions. "Have you seen her often?" Gideon rarely reveals his personal life to Reid and it gives him an opportunity to know his family background.

"No, the last time I saw her was during her graduation day and the death of Maria." He sighs deeply and placing the picture down. "I did lose contact with her but she manages to send me pictures of herself going on an adventure... I always ask myself how did she manage to find me."

* * *

A 22-year-old light brown-haired woman smile while contacting someone on the phone. She's taking a break from packing all her stuff up since she had a day off while her one of her best friend, Steve Dobrev is working before he's going back to Arizona to be with her wife, Phoebe Dobrev.

 ** _"The Professors are very proud that I'm one of the students who gets an A! Can you believe that, sis?"_** A 16-year-old boy spoke happily to his sister as she chuckled at his ramble.

"You deserve it for studying hard just like your brother, Ethan and I." The woman spoke and pushing her glasses up. "How do you like Caltech College so far, Alex?"

 ** _"How should I say this... a very challenge and trying to adjust the environment."_** Alex answered and thanking the waitress before leaving the shop. **_"How are the newcomers, Nov?"_**

"Everyone is terrified of me." Novilene chuckled nervously and wiping the sweat off her forehead. Packing all her things and moving around the house makes her feel sweating all over her body."They didn't expect a 22-year-old Captain could be their worst nightmare."

 ** _"Steve and Ethan taught you how to become a strong and independent person. Not giving any-"_**

"Language." She warned her baby brother and Alex to cough slightly. There are times Novilene is scolding Alex despite he's already a teenage boy.

 **"Right... as I was saying, you deserve it for working too hard."** Alex is always about her sister working too hard, rarely has time to go out and socializing with her family and friends. He hopes and prays someone is going to be with her to change her lifestyle.

"Thanks, Alex." She wrinkles her nose feeling herself drench in sweat. "I need to finish up packing my things."

 ** _"That's fun."_** Alex spoke sarcastically and shaking his head slightly. **_"I need to eat my food now, love you, sis."_**

"Love you too, Alex. Call Ethan and your father sometimes as well okay?"

 ** _"I will sis."_** They hang up and Novilene sighs heavily.

 **Click!**

Novilene looked up to see a blonde man wearing his black suit holding the black case. His blue eyes met her dark brown eyes and smiled widely at her.

"Hey, Novilene." The man greeted her and was about to give her a hug but stopped when he wrinkled his nose in disgust. "You need a shower, sister cause you stink."

"Sorry." She smiled sheepishly and rubbing her neck. "I was packing up all my things and Alex called me."

"Speaking of Alex, how is he?" He loosens up his tie a bit. "I miss that brat very much."

"He's fine and proud that the Professors are impressed by his Academics." Novilene spoke up in a proud tone and standing up. "I thought that you'll be home late because of you have hearing today."

"Speaking of the hearing." He sighs in relief and raising his hand in victory. "He's terrified of me."

"Why? What makes you so happy?" She raises her eyebrows at him as he smirked in wickedly.

"Well... this man thought that I'm dumb and assuming he'll win the case. I proved him wrong and he's already in jail." He removes his black coat and patting her head. "Have a shower and I'll cook dinner this time."

"Are you sure?" She removes her hair tie and glasses. "The last time you cook... you almost end up setting the kitchen on fire."

Steve cringed and smiled nervously knowing she's right. The last time he cooked, Steve almost burned the entire kitchen and luckily his wife, Phoebe Dobrev, was with him at that time. He shivered at the thought of seeing Phoebe scary expression if he dares to cook again especially when she's pregnant.

"On second thought... never mind." He laughs nervously and removing his tie. "Have you finish packing up?" Observing the entire house is almost completely empty because she's going to move out in a different country soon.

"No, I still have to pack up my books. Do you mind do it for me, please?" Her phone beep to see unknown caller. "I have to take the call."

"Sure." He shrugged and doesn't mind to do pack her books since he's a hopeless cooker.

"Thanks, brother!" She waved and goes straight to the brother. "Cruz speaking, how may I help you?" Novilene spoke in a calm tone but with a hint of seriousness.

 ** _"Is that your way to talk with your grandmother, apo (granddaughter)?"_** Novilene stared at her phone to see it is Maricar Cruz, her grandmother is calling her. She laughs nervously and rubbing her neck.

"Sorry Ma, I didn't know it was you. How are you?" She asked and grabbing her change of clothes.

Maricar Cruz is the grandmother of Novilene and Alex. She's a kind and brave woman who doesn't hesitate to step up facing her problems. Her first granddaughter, Novilene, treating her as her own daughter and Novilene calling her Ma or mama not grandmother or nanny. Novilene loves her grandmother deeply because it is Maricar who's taking care of her before.

 ** _"Everything is fine, everyone is asking when are you going back to the Philippines."_** Maricar is chopping the vegetables while calling her granddaughter. **_"It's been what? 3 years that you didn't visit. The only thing you visit was during Easter Holiday."_**

"Ma, I've been working a lot lately and saving money to process your visa." Novilene pointed out and leaning her wardrobe. "Processing your visa is quite expensive and thank goodness that Steve helps me to do the documents."

 ** _"Ah, speaking of Steve. How's the married couple? Do they have kids yet?"_**

"Not yet but Phoebe is 6 months pregnant. They'll be having a baby girl." She smiled hearing Maricar's laugh in delight. "How's everything going?"

 ** _"Same old, same old. Jay is busy with his bar exam."_** Maricar spoke in a proud tone making Novilene smile at her Uncle's achievement. **_"Are you still... contacting Jason?"_**

Novilene froze as she fiddling the hem of her t-shirt nervously. It's been two years that his biological father, Jason Gideon, stopped contacting her yet she often sent pictures of herself going somewhere in her free time. She sighs heavily and biting her lips lightly.

"I did but it ends up in the voicemail... I did often sent pictures when I'm off somewhere during my day off." Novilene explained and tearing up a bit. "Dad changed a lot... when mom died..."

 ** _"I know sweetie, your father doesn't stop loving Maria despite they got separated. Give him time and I know it's a lot... please don't give up your father."_**

"I don't and I pray to God that I'm seeing him soon." She smiled then glance at the frame of herself and her father are hugging each other.

 ** _"Let me guess... your sixth sense is telling you that?"_** Maricar asked in amused tone knowing Novilene has the sixth sense of something good or bad is going to happen.

Maricar is always worried about her granddaughter because not only her sixth sense but she can be a human lie detector as well. She always prays for her safety including her other siblings and friends as well. Novilene joins a very dangerous job that could gain her few enemies because of her abilities.

"Yeah, listen to Ma... I have to take a shower cause I stink because of packing all my stuff before resigning from my job." She chuckled and stared at the time. "You should probably get some rest as well."

 ** _"I will my dear and I love you."_**

"Love you too." Novilene ends up the call and decided to take a shower.

Novilene had a feeling that her life will change forever because of a certain someone. Her world will turn upside down when she receives a call from the FBI to seek help after her very last case before resigning London Metropolitan Police


	3. Chapter 1 Extreme Aggression (Episode 1)

**_Quitting my job to start a new life somewhere where I belong. A lot of things happen in my life and couldn't handle the pressure anymore. I have good and bad memories here in this country._**

 ** _I love London but... after everything that happened here- I... I'm lost and fall into the deep of darkness. No one could save me but only myself._**

 ** _Receiving a call from Seattle to seek my help regarding the case. That day would ever change my life forever. ~Novilene Cruz_**

Stretching her body as she usually does her normal routine. Waking up 7:30 in the morning, taking a shower, cook breakfast and making herself a cup of black coffee. Having a calm tune of "Ave Maria" piano version background makes her home a bit lively before leaving this country.

"Drinking as usual strong black coffee to make yourself awake after having a shower, leaving your hair wet. You cook an egg and bacon sandwich for your breakfast while playing the background of **'Ave Maria** ' piano." She rolls her eyes and making another coffee for someone who always barges in her house without bothering to knock.

"Good morning to you as well, Sherlock." Novilene greeted the Private Detective or she would use the nickname for him, Consulting Detective Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock Holmes is a tall man in his mid 20's. Pale skin as snow, dark curly hair and cold blue eyes. Novilene is not afraid of him and she's the closest Sherlock's friend to be with despite their differences. She never judges his crazy experiment such as placing an eye inside of the jar before putting it in the microwave. People mistook him as a psychopath while Novilene would correct them, sociopath.

Sherlock never said a word but snatching his drink from Novilene and drinks it. Novilene is already used to his behavior for his silent thank you offer. "I'm going to quit my job as a cop and move out to a different country, Sherlock. You can't break in my house all the time." She scolded him and used the fact he always breaks her home without a key. Sherlock would usually steal her keys and breaks in her home whenever he wants.

"Moving to your friend's house and looking for a job." Sherlock answered bluntly. "Why change?" It's pointless to ask her a question but he wanted to hear it from her mouth.

"You, of all people know my answer, Sherlock." She gives him a pointed look. "I need a fresh start."

Sherlock rolls his eyes. "Oh... yes! Starting a new day is the beginning of Novilene Cruz!" He exclaimed sarcastically. Novilene just gives him a deadpanned expression. "The only woman who can understand the level of my IQ and have common sense, unlike some dumb people."

"Anderson for instance?" Teasing Sherlock with a smirk on her face while Sherlock shots her an annoyed expression. "You being here is more than enough to help them out on a case."

Sherlock scoffs and Novilene ignored him. "London would fall without Sherlock Holmes. Everyone knows me being a former Doctor and a cop. It's time for me to step out." She smiles gently and hugging him. "I may be far away from you. You have to remember that I'm always your friend."

He grudgingly hates public of affection but when it comes to Novilene, Sherlock rarely shows his caring side to her. Novilene always cherishes those moments whenever Sherlock breaks down his wall. Wrapping his arms around her shoulders to pull close. Sherlock hates to admit but she's going to miss his little sister figure. She's the only person who understands him completely. Novilene always annoyed him and making sure he won't take any drugs for his own experiment by throwing it away or even blackmailing the former drug user. Throwing everything away to keep him out of reach and he would throw tantrum against her, she would give him one hell of body pain.

"You're always welcome to use my home, Sherlock." She pulls away from him gently. "This is like your second home and promise me this house is still in one piece. I mean it."

Rolling his eyes and couldn't make promises if he's planning to destroy her house. "Bored! You're a too uptight and bottomless pig!"

Chuckling in amused and glancing down her watch. "I need to go soon and catch my flight."

"Ahh... yes, Seattle, Washington. They're seeking your help without knowing you quit the job. How fantastic!" He exclaimed happily like a 4-year-old child and staring at her dark brown eyes. "Someone abducted the 5th women while they were testing-"

"Sherlock, I believe they ask my help without you." She reminded him with a sympathy look on her face. Most of the cops hate Sherlock for being nosy and always intervened in their cases. "There's a pattern and that's why they needed my help."

"Your father and his team are going to get involve." He spoke up bluntly and noticing Novilene isn't ready yet to face her father physically after 2 years since her mother's death. "How are you going to deal with that? Hmm?"

"I really appreciate for stalling me to miss my flight, Sherlock." Novilene immediately sees through Sherlock's plan. "Let's see how it goes, okay?"

* * *

 **F.B.I Northwest Field Office ||Seattle, Washington||**

Novilene is starting to regret accepting their offer to help them capture the Unsub or known as Unknown Subject considering they have no leads who are behind all the murderers. She has a long flight and never bothers to have an off because of the serial case. " **Pagod ako (I'm tired)** the criminals would never let us rests." Commented sarcastically and decided to come inside of the building to see a man is waiting for her arrival.

"Captain Cruz, we are delighted that you're here to help us with the murder case, I'm Agent Ray Davies." The male Agent greeted her with a polite smile. "We would like to apologize for coming you here unexpected." He feels bad for asking her to come over but they need her expertise. He heard a lot of good things coming from her previous Captain.

"That's fine, Agent Davies. I would like to know why I'm being involved in this case." Novilene asked curiously and tilted her head slightly at him. Wondering why they wanted her to get involved despite there's another Unit, BAU or known as Behavioral Analysis Unit that studies criminal behavior to help them out.

"We heard from your previous Captain, Vargas, that you have a lot of experience with this and manage to capture the criminals that are very dangerous people especially when one of them is most wanted." He answered and smiled slightly at her. "Not many people at this young age of yours could do this case but we really appreciate accepting our help." Leading her where their bullpen to meet up other Agents.

She only nodded her head. "When are we going to start studying this case?" Pushing her glasses up while looking at Davies curiously.

"We are waiting for the others to arrive." Davies answered. "Would you like to have some tea or coffee?"

"Black coffee please without sugar. Who are we waiting for?" Muttering a thank you and sipping her drink to relief drowsiness.

"Well... not only we're seeking your help but also from the BAU Department as well." Davies answered and Novilene nearly choked her drink. "We need all the help we could get and I hope you don't mind, Cruz."

"I don't mind at all." Masking her surprise expression and wasn't expecting to meet Gideon in this kind of situation. She blames Sherlock for deducting it right the possibility of her to see Gideon again. Novilene is not ready yet to speak with her father for two years.

A man wears his stoic expression without showing any emotions but only seriousness. The other guy is wearing his playboy smile and smirk whenever he passed by females. A neatly combed wavy brown hair and his eyes showed kindness and shyness around the same of Novilene or maybe a bit older. Silently gasps to see the last person they haven't seen or spoken for the past two years, Jason Gideon. Novilene noticed Gideon changed a lot especially his lasts case making him retire of the job. He's extremely vigilant in his surroundings in case there's in danger.

Novilene is looking down at her drink to avoid being caught by Gideon and the stoic man started to speak. "These are Special Agent Gideon, Special Agent Morgan, our expert on obsessional crimes, Special Agent Reid-"

"Dr. Reid." Gideon corrected him while Novilene wasn't expecting they hired a Doctor unless he has a Ph.D.

"Dr. Reid, our expert on... well, everything. And after 2 years busting my butt in this office, I hope you remember me." Everyone chuckled and Davies clearing his throat to interrupt them while Novilene wanting to dig herself a hole.

"I also seek help from London." Davies informed them and pointing his arm towards Novilene as she smiles politely at them. "Her name is-"

"Novilene Cruz." Reid blurted out before the Agent could introduce her to everyone. All their eyes are on him and he smiled shyly while Novilene looked startled. "She's the first youngest female Captain in London Metropolitan Police and captured the most wanted criminal from two years ago."

"That's her?" Morgan asks with a shocked look on his face. He wasn't expecting to meet this woman let along being so young than Reid. "Who knew she could be so young than our pretty boy here." He muttered and Reid gives him a look.

Novilene is clearing her throat to get their attention. "Can we please get on our case? We're not here for discussing my occupation and my age. Sir, I don't know who you are." Looking at the stoic man and he nodded his head in understanding.

"Aaron Hotchner." The stoic man introduces himself and she just smiles politely at him.

Gideon gives her a silent thankful look and she only observes the bulletin board with a blank look on her face. "He's willing to travel with the body." He explained while examining the picture of a missing young woman.

"Then he drives a vehicle capable of concealing one." Hotchner added and Novilene nodded her head in agreement.

"1 in 7.4 drivers in Seattle owns an SUV." Reid added when he examines the information but often glancing at Novilene which she noticed but pretending to ignore it.

"Explorer with tinted windows." Discreetly observing Novilene.

"Explorers rate higher with women." Novilene added and holding her chin in deep thought while staring at the pictures in her cold calculative look.

"But how do we know it's his car? Ted Bunny drove a VW Bug." Morgan pointed out and she hums in response.

"What about a Jeep Cherokee?" Hotchner asks them curiously.

"Jeep's are more masculine." Reid pointed out while Novilene finished her black coffee drink.

Reid is trying to analyze Gideon's daughter but he stops because she might catch his stare. He only heard a few rumors about her and never expect she could be more beautiful in person. Stopping himself from staring and to focus the case at hand.

"We can confirm this Unsub feels masculinity." Novilene spoke up and gripping her cup gently. "It crosses my thought regarding this case... since when did the Bureau getting involve in this case and myself?" She asks Davies and her phone silently vibrates.

Novilene opened her phone to see Sherlock's message. Holding back her sighing in annoyance.

 ** _From: Sherlock_**

 ** _Police are dumb after they found the fourth body as they seek help from the Federal Agents. Enjoying your reconcile with your daddy dearest, Novilene?_**

Ignoring Sherlock's message and focuses on their meeting. She's going to call him later for being a nosy as usual no matter where you are.

"After the fourth body. He dumped that one out of state." Davies explained it to them.

"On purpose." Hotchner commented.

"If so, knowledge of law enforcement does suggest a criminal record." Novilene and Reid answered in sync then staring each other in a shocked look. They didn't expect to answer together as Novilene looked away from Reid.

"Or that he watches television. May I?" Morgan asked permission from Davies as he hands over the file to him ignoring how they answered together.

"So you wanna see our suspect list?" Davies asked them curiously.

"No, we won't look at a suspect list until after we come up with a profile. It keeps our perspective unbiased." Hotchner answered and Novilene observed the picture from another board.

"When do we sit down with your task force?" Gideon asked them.

"4:00." One of the Agents answered.

"An accurate profile by 4:00 today?" Morgan stopped reading the files from his hand.

"That's not a problem." Gideon approached his daughter and standing right next to her. Noticing she hasn't changed a lot except the color of her light brown hair and tying her hair as usual to a ponytail.

"Agent Gideon, where would you like to start?" Hotchner asked his senior colleague.

"Are you thinking the same thing, Novilene?" Gideon asked his daughter in a soft tone and Novilene blinking her eyes twice.

"Yes, sir." Everyone stares at her and Novilene points the picture of the abandoned underground. "One of us is going to this site from the last murder. The others are going to talk to Woodland's relative. That way- we can save time and hoping we could have some new information." She suggested and ignoring Gideon's stare.

Gideon noticed she's guarding up her feelings and she's not letting anyone know her real emotions. He blames himself for abandoning Novilene when she needed him the most. Her stepbrother, Ethan Hunt, is always been there for her to comfort.

* * *

It's a bit strange reunion between Gideon and Novilene. Both of them are expecting to meet up some comfortable place but ended up meeting this case. She's quite grateful for not teaming up with Gideon and Morgan as they go on a site to investigate the place. Hotchner, Reid and herself are going to interview Heather Woodland's brother, David Woodland, to find out some clues regarding her abduction.

Reid is still nervous meeting Gideon's daughter in flesh. He couldn't grasp the fact his mentor has a beautiful daughter but he never mentions it to anyone. Decided to introduced himself again in front of her. "Hi." Reid greeted politely at Novilene and she smiled politely at him. "I-I-I'm Spen-Spencer Reid- Dr. Spen-Spencer Reid. We haven't been properly introduced to each other... not that I don't blame you-"

"Um... Doctor Reid, I didn't blame you at all." She assured him and noticed he's shy towards other people. "I actually know your name when Agent Hotchner introduces his team. How did you know about my name and my achievements?" Novilene asks him curiously.

Novilene asks Sherlock's older brother, Mycroft Holmes, to make sure none of the social media knows her work life. It seems like someone manages to find out about her.

"Your father, Gideon told me." He answered and she blinks her eyes. "He received a picture of you and message. I actually didn't know he was married and-"

"Have me." Novilene interrupted him and smiled. "We didn't come here to talk about my life, Doctor Reid."

Reid blushed embarrassing and scratching his neck. Glancing behind him to see Hotch is smirking at the young Doctor.

Sparing his embarrassment as Novilene knocks the door. Once the door opens, it was a man in his mid 30's wearing a green jumper and brown trousers. "Good morning, Sir." She greeted the man as her English accent slips out of her mouth. "Sorry for bothering you at this late. May we come in? We would like to ask a few questions regarding your sister's missing." They showed them their badges and the man leads them inside.

A golden retriever dog suddenly barks at Reid and he jumps in surprise. "Sandy, no, no, no. I'm so sorry." Woodland apologizes with a guilty look on his face.

"No, it's ok." Hotchner assured him. "It's what we call the Reid effect. Happens with children, too. I'm Agent Hotchner. These are Special Agent Dr. Reid and Captain Cruz, she's from England."

Novilene is looking at Reid with a shocked look on her face. Why would the animals and children seem to hate him when he showed nothing but kindness. She never has seen him a type of threat despite their first meeting.

"You look too young to have gone to medical school." Woodland commented and looking at Novilene with a surprising look on his face. "You look too young to become a Captain."

"Let's just say- few people saw my potential and received a position of it as a Captain." Novilene spoke up with a polite smile. She grabs one of the magazines to scheme reading.

"They're Ph.D.'s 3 of them." Reid answered and Novilene wasn't expecting he's a genius just like her and Sherlock.

"Are you a genius or something?" David asked Reid curiously while allowing Novilene to pet his dog.

"I-I-I don't believe that intelligence can be accurately quantified- but I do have an IQ of 187 and an eidetic memory and can read 20,000 words per minute." Reid rambled while David stared at him in confuse as Novilene chuckled lightly at Reid's nervousness.

"To put it simply as what Dr Reid implying, he's a genius man and it's rare to have someone who has an eidetic memory." Novilene explained and giving Sandy a treat and he eats it happily.

Reid is feeling grateful towards her as she stands up to grab the car magazine and froze. It makes sense why Heather got kidnapped it's because she was planning to buy a car and the Unsub took the opportunity to bait her by test driving the car.

"Not sense. Smell." Reid corrected David and Novilene snapped out her thoughts. "Our apocrine sweat gland releases secretions in response to emotional stress." He explained.

Novilene shook her head and whispered at Reid's ear. "You don't have to explain to him deeply, Reid. You're just making him more nervous." Clearing her throat and looking at David. "Sir, does your sister drive a Datsun Z?"

"No, but she's in the market for one. How'd you know?" David asked the light brown-haired woman while dragging Sandy away from them.

"There's an immediate relationship established between a buyer and a seller, a level of trust." Reid explained it to his superior and finally understand Novilene's theory. "If I want to coax a young woman into my car..."

"Offer her a test drive." Hotchner finished Reid's thought and noticed Novilene is in deep thought like her mind is somewhere. "You okay, Cruz?"

"Huh?" Blinking her eyes behind the glasses and smiles. "Yeah, just had a long flight after receiving an emergency call from them. I'll be fine, honestly." Assuring them since it's not her first time she has done it before.

* * *

"Okay, then how about the fact that on one hand, we have a paranoid psychosis..." Morgan spoke while throwing the ball up into the air. "But the autopsy says what?"

"Adhesive reside shows he put layer after layer of duct tape over his victims' eyes." Reid twirls around the chair right beside Novilene who's busy analyzing the files in her usual cold calculative look.

"He knows what he wants to kill them, but he still covers their eyes. He doesn't want 'em looking at him, apparently. Okay, but then he takes the body and dumps it right out in the open, murder weapon nearby."

"Not the M.O of a paranoid convinced he's being watched or surveilled." Reid noticed Novilene's eyes are closed while clasping her hands together as she bows down her head like praying.

Novilene is thinking a lot of possibilities and it clicks her mind. They're not only dealing with one Unsub but two Unsubs. A master and servant. "All right, enough." Gideon stopped their arguments. "Let's tell them we're ready." Looking at Novilene who knew they're dealing two Unsubs as he left the office.

"We're ready?" Morgan asked in disbelief tone then stared Reid with a bewilderment expression. "Reid. You're good with this?" Reid stopped writing down the notes. "We've got a woman who's only got a few hours left to live, an incomplete profile, and a unit chief on the verge of a nervous breakdown."

The senior Agent comes back to grab his coat and folders in his hand. "They don't call them nervous breakdowns anymore." He corrected at Morgan before looking at his daughter. "Novilene, you'll be with me at the meeting later..." Novilene was about to protest but he gave her a look. "We have a similar theory as well... I'll have to drag you with me whether you like it or not." He left and Novilene sighs heavily by his order.

"It's called a major depressive episode." Reid pointed out bluntly and looking at Novilene who's in deep thought.

"I know, Reid." Morgan gives him a pointed look before looking at Novilene. "How did you know Gideon, Cruz?" He asks her curiously. "From what we can tell, you two knew each other before."

"He's basically my father." Novilene answered and pushing her glasses up. "I'm surprised only Reid knew my relationship with him."

"I was there when he received a letter from you." Reid answered and smiling sheepishly.

"You two had a strained relationship." Hotch pointed out and noticed Gideon often tense around her.

"Wouldn't be surprised." Novilene smiled bitterly and grabbing her things before catching up with her father. Her phone silently vibrates to see Sherlock is messaging her again.

 ** _From: Sherlock_**

 ** _Such a clever girl you are. You're dealing with a master and servant. They already interviewed him and those idiots never realise he's one of the suspects. You know what to do my dear._**

She secretly smiles and closing her phone before anyone notices her and Sherlock know each other before. At least Sherlock is trying to calm her nerves whether it's an intention or not.

* * *

Novilene is turning on the projector to help Gideon out prepare their presentation. She's still nervous around him and he's not a fool to pretend they're okay after her mother's death. Novilene finishes setting up the computer and opens the folder.

"Mulan..." Gideon called her using the nickname that she used to admire that character. "You never wear make-up not unless it's a very special occasion. When was the last time you slept?"

"Yesterday and I'm fine, dad." She smiles and drinking her black coffee as usual. "I'm used to it staying up late when it comes to the case. This would be my last case to solve."

Gideon frowned and feels worried about her. "I don't-"

"Dad, trust me on this." She smiles lightly. "Once the case is over, I'll rest." Everyone gathers around as they decided to explain their theory.

"The unidentified subject is white and in his late 20's. He's someone you wouldn't notice at first." Gideon started to explain to everyone. "He's someone who'd blend into any crowd. The violent nature of the crime suggests a previous criminal record- petty crimes. Maybe auto theft."

"We've classified him as an organized killer- careful." Novilene spoke in her British accent for living in London for 5 years. "Psychopathic as opposed to psychotic. He follows the news, good hygiene. He's smart."

"Cause he's smart, the only physical evidence you'll find is what he wants you to find. He's mobile, car in good condition. Our guess- Jeep Cherokee, tinted windows. The murders have all involved rapes. But rape without penetration is a form of piquerism, and that tells us he's actually sexually inadequate." Gideon glance at Novilene to continue where he left off as she opens her mouth to speak.

"Psychiatric evaluations will show a history of paranoia stemming from childhood trauma- the death of a parent or a family member... and now he feels persecuted and watched. Murder gives him a sense of power. Organized killers have a fascination with law enforcement. They will inject themselves into the investigation. They will even come forward as witnesses to see just how much the police really know. That makes them feel powerful, in control." Novilene explained and ignoring their gawking expression on how this duo is sync to there theories.

"Which is why we also think... in fact, we know... you have already interviewed him." Gideon gives them a smug look on his face.

* * *

Richard Slessman has been caught by a simple bait to lure him inside of the dark house. Novilene is holding her chin in deep thought and wondering if Slessman is either a servant or master to kidnap Heather Woodland. Seeing him in person, that guy is skinny and impossible for him to carry her for who knows where.

"Captain Cruz?" Snapping out her thoughts to see brown eyes are staring at her dark brown eyes. "Is everything alright? You've been spacing out lately." Reid asks her worriedly.

Novilene blinks her eyes and startled by his caring side towards her. Usually, her colleagues wouldn't careless of her well-being aside from Holmes' brothers. "I'm fine, Dr Reid. I've been thinking a lot lately and I can't get enough evidence."

"Such as?" Morgan questioned the young woman curiously.

"Seeing him in person..." Novilene thought carefully for her words before saying it out loud. "He's a skinny and weak type of guy. I mean- how did he manage to kidnap Woodland so easily?" She asks them a rhetorical question.

Reid frowned in deep thought and couldn't help but agree with her. Slessman is a weak guy and can easily knock him down. "Captain Cruz-"

"No need to be so formal, Reid." She chuckles with an amused look on her face. "I'm two years younger than you so... that makes you my senior."

"Right." He blushed and giving Morgan a look to see him snickering behind them. "Do you know a man named Sherlock Holmes by any chance?"

"Would you believe me if I said-" Her phone beeps and she flips it to see Sherlock message.

 ** _From: Sherlock_**

 ** _He's too plain for my taste. He's out of your league and accepts our relationship of us lovers. I love to ruin your reputation_** 😏

Novilene mentally rolls her eyes and closing it. "I'll tell you later about Sherlock Holmes, Reid." She makes a promise and he smiled.

Reid nodded his head in understanding and appreciates her honesty. "There's no sign of the girl here. We can arrest him with probable cause, but we won't be able to hold him." Explaining it to Gideon as he joined them. "Slessman's been at the top of the suspect list."

"Is that the mother?" Gideon asks them while observing the old woman.

"Grandmother." Another woman spoke before Novilene could answer it when she appeared in front of them coming from the living room. "The mother died in a fire when he was 13."

"Probably not the only fire in his childhood." Novilene shakes off the thought of her mother's death and focusing the case.

"Before his Son of Sam murders, David Berkowitz set a multitude of fires." Novilene pointed out and while flipping different books in her cold calculative look.

"Exactly how much is a multitude?" Morgan asked the unknown woman and Reid.

"According to his diary, 1,400 and..." Reid was interrupted by the other woman.

"88." The older woman finished it off and Novilene glances at her discretely and wondering who she is.

"Luring him out was your idea, right? Greenway?" Gideon asked her and noticed Novilene is busy reading a book in her hands.

"Elle." She corrected the senior Agent. "I don't send a SWAT team into a house with children."

"Hotch says your background is in a sex offender case. What can you tell us?" Gideon questioned Elle curiously.

"Is Hotch short for Hotchner?" Novilene whispered at Reid and he nodded his head. "I see." She continues reading the book.

"The last 4 murders show he's an anger-excitation rapist. He'll keep a victim for a couple of days. He probably records or videotapes them so that he can keep reliving the fantasy." Elle explained it to Gideon and discreetly observing the young woman.

"You okay with Hotch being in on the interview?" Gideon asked Elle in his serious expression.

"I'd like him to lead, actually." Elle answered and stared at the younger woman wearing a cold calculative look when she goes to a different book.

"Fine but hold off. Slessman's done time and he knows the process." Gideon glanced at his daughter then at Elle. "And all you will get now is a demand for a lawyer. Hotch, let's check the garage then show me what you got."

Elle decided to approach the young woman and smiling politely at her. "Hey." She greeted her and Novilene smiles back. "Are you new here?"

"Yes, I'm just here to aid from a different country." Her English accents slip out of her mouth and Elle notices her accent.

"Half British?" She tries to guess and she shook her head.

"Half American and half Filipino. I've been living in London for five years. Captain Novilene Cruz." Raising her right hand to shake hands.

"Elle Greenaway." They shook hands. "I didn't know they are seeking your help."

"Neither am I." Shrugging her shoulders with a small smile on her face. "They need all the help that knows this type of case very well." Excusing herself to go towards the attic to see a board game in front of her. "Wei-chi?" She asks out loud and Reid nodded his head. "Who knew Slessman would play an Asian board game."

"Have you played this game before Novilene?" Reid asked curiously and wondering how she manages to know this game.

"No, my Chinese friend played this game before." She answered and observing the game in deep thoughts.

"What kind of a game is it?" Elle voiced out when she gets inside of the room to join Hotch, Gideon, Novilene and Reid.

"In China, it's called Wei-chi." Reid answered for the older woman.

"Here we call it ** _'go'_**." Novilene pointed out and crossing her arms. "It's considered to be the most difficult board game ever conceived. My friend tried to teach me the game but it's hard to play."

"Chairman Mao required his generals to learn it." Gideon pointed out and secretly smiles to see his daughter.

"It looks like he's playing himself." Reid voiced out his opinion and Novilene nodded her head in agreement.

"I agree with you there, Spencer." Novilene agreed with him when she traces the edge of the board by her right fingers.

"How can you two tell?" Elle asked in a surprised tone that she didn't expect the two young people are a genius.

"This might provide an advantage, actually." Reid answered when he twirled the board by using fingers. "Go is considered o be a particularly psychologically revealing game. There are profiles for every player-"

"The conservative point counter, the aggressor, the finesse." Novilene intervened and closing her eyes when everyone stared at her shocked.

"What kind of player is Slessman?" Hotch asked the two young genius. He finally understands why Gideon wanted his daughter to be part of the team. She's quite sharp of observing her surroundings and rarely miss out a piece of information. What makes him intrigue, is she suddenly going to quit the job after this case?

Reid is looking at Novilene and she gives him a nod to answer Hotch's question. "Extreme aggressor." He answered with a grim look on his face.

* * *

Novilene tunes out everyone and grabbing the book of the Journal of Applied Criminal Psychology from the bookshelves. Flipping the page to get some answers and froze to see the picture of her father and his colleague.

"Sir..." Novilene called Gideon and Elle are looking at her. "Do you want me to talk to him or you'll do it?"

"What are you talking about?" Gideon asked curiously and froze to see what she's holding it. "I'll do it and come with me. You're a human lie detector could put a good use for it."

Novilene shrugged and ignoring their surprised looks as they go downstairs to meet up with the suspect. Gideon throws the book on the table then seating down across from Slessman.

"You read my paper. Learn anything?" Gideon asked Slessman whereas Novilene stared at him with cold and blank expression.

"Heirens said a man living inside of his head was the one who committed the murders. You said he was lying, that there'd be never been an actual case of multiple personalities." Slessman answered and he squirms seeing the young woman not showing any emotions.

"You have an academic interest in disassociative identity disorder, or you just planning your defense?" Slessman just smirked and Novilene narrowed her eyes at his behavior. "You a fan of Adrian Baal's work?" Gideon grabbed the paper and showing it to him.

"No. I'm a fan of yours. You know they never give you the real facts about the CPR... that outside of a hospital, it's only effective 7% of the time. Your friend had a 93% certainty of dying, but you kept trying... even after you'd broken his ribs, even after his blood was all over your hands." Mocking her father and it irks her.

"Why don't you tell us where Heather Woodland is?" Changing the subject before losing his composure in front of him and Novilene.

"Woodland... isn't she the girl that went missing a couple of days ago?" Smirking at them and never revealing her whereabouts.

"Get him out of here." Gideon stands up and walking out of the kitchen room.

Novilene raises her hand to stop the officers and giving her time to speak with Slessman. "Loyalty, huh? I wasn't expecting you're protecting him whereas you get caught."

Flinching by her cold dark brown eyes and never expecting she could be so cold like ice. "I have no idea what you're talking about." He looks away from her cold gaze.

"You're not fit enough to kidnap Ms Woodland." She pointed out bluntly and shook her head. "You're not an athlete type of person and you have an acquaintance. A servant and master."

He narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything. She continued to speak. "I pity you to be honest." Walking away to pass Reid, who's been eavesdropping their conversation.

Novilene gets out of the house to meet up with Gideon and Hotch. "We're dealing two Unsubs and not one."

"How did you know, Cruz?" Hotch asks her curiously while crossing his arms. Gideon told him she's going to quit her job after this case and wanted to test her intelligence.

"Two clues, Slessman is actually a weak type and hard for him to kidnap Woodland. He's a clever guy considering the fact he lured 5 women by advertising a car. Slessman is not the only Unsub but we're also looking for another guy who's into a brawl and willing to protect him. Second Unsub is the muscle and he involves of Woodland's abduction whereas Slessman is the brain." She explained and pushing her glasses up. "After Gideon left, I interrogate him and assume that he has partners including Woodland's abduction. Slessman looks shocked at my statement and lying the fact he doesn't know where she is." She ignored the silent message knowing it's from Sherlock again.

Hotch is staring at her with a blank expression. The rumors are true of her analyzing skills and she's one step ahead of them. Waiting for the others if they're on the right track before revealing her discoveries. "We're dealing two Unsubs."

"Good work, Novilene." Gideon patted her shoulders and smiled gently at her. "You're thinking of the outside box."

Hotch decided to take Elle and Novilene to be part of their team. He would try to persuade Novilene before she could go on a different job.

* * *

Gideon insisting Novilene to join him and Elle to go to the prison. They just recently found out that Slessman has a partner to kidnap Woodland due to Novilene's interrogation and observing his physical appearance.

"Anyone who can tell us more about Slessman?" Gideon asked one of the Agents.

"Tim Vogel was the security guard covering Slessman's block." The Agent answered and looked down to see a bunch of criminals. "That's him over there. I'll get him for you." He leaves them alone as Elle approached Gideon and Novilene while gripping the phone in her hands.

"That was Hotch. Linder's name came up in a police report." Elle answered in her solemn expression.

"And?"

"He's dead." Novilene breathes out heavily and biting her lips lightly. "Car accident, 2 months ago. Linder is dead."

"Linder is out of our list and we need to find out who our second unsub is... fast." Novilene spoke up and feels worried about Woodland's life. She would never forgive herself if they couldn't manage to solve the case fasts.

The three of them were escorted by the guard to the exit since they have no lead so far. Novilene is masking her frustrated look and Gideon noticed her distressed but didn't say anything at all.

"Too bad you guys came here for nothing. I mean, talk about scum. I can't remember how many times I put Linder in solitary for causing trouble with us." The security guard told and didn't notice the look of the young woman as she observes his keys especially his body language is filled with nervous. "You'd think the inmates would try to stay on our good side, right? Especially since half our job is protecting them from each other."

"You protect them?" Gideon asked curiously towards the guard and Novilene can't help but feel suspicious on their guard.

"If you're a little white guy? Especially in a prison-like this." He continued to unlock the gates.

"Linder's 6'4. You talking about Slessman?" Novilene asked curiously as Elle and Gideon already figuring it out who the second unsub is.

"Yeah." The security guard muttered and finally unlocking the gates.

"Thanks for your help." She fake smiles and the three of them leave the prison.

The three of them getting out of the prison and starting to think about the guard, who's leading them out of the prison. Novilene pushes her glasses up and finally found out the second Unsub is the security guard.

"He's a friend of Richard. He protected him. He will feel like he owes him." Gideon explained to the two ladies.

"He fits the profile and did you see them?" Elle asked the father and daughter.

"The keys." Novilene answered and staring at them. "We will follow him and I have a feeling that he's the one who hides Woodland." She crosses her arm and furrowed her eyebrows. "Knowing this guy, he's starting to have suspicious on us now since we found our second kidnapper."

* * *

Novilene, Elle and Gideon are following the guard name Timothy Vogel because he's the second Unsub they are looking for. The light brown-haired called Hotch to explained everything to him since Gideon force her to do it for unknown reasons.

"Sir, I've just found your leverage. His name is Timothy Vogel." Elle is starting the car engine and following their second Unsub.

 ** _"Good job, Captain Cruz. Keep in touch."_** Hotchner congratulates her and ended up the call.

Novilene's phone rings again to see her older brother, Ethan is calling his younger sister. She accepts the call and pressing it on her ear.

"Hey, Ethan... as much as I would love to talk with you, I'm busy right now." Elle looks curious about this guy, Ethan means to her but never intends to be nosy of her life.

 ** _"Sherlock told me that."_** Ethan spoke up through her phone and watching outside of the window. ** _"Be careful okay?"_**

"I will, brother. I'll talk to you later." She ends up the call and feels anxious for an unknown reason.

"There's something wrong." Elle spoke up once she started the car engine. "We gotta pull him over. I can feel it."

"You wanna know the word repeated more than any other in your file?" Gideon asked Elle as she glances at him slightly. "Impatient. You wanna stop him, you give me a reason." In a serious tone while Novilene knows why he doesn't trust Elle because she's a stranger to him.

"His behavior. When he left, he was nervous, unsettled. But now he's stopping at every stop sign. He's using his blinker at every turn. He's slowing at yellow lights. This is not someone who is rushing to kill and dump a body." Elle explained while Novilene smirked that she gets the right track.

"Do it." Elle started to put on the police siren as the car slows down for them.

The three of them getting out of the car readying their guns as they approach the Vogel slowly. "FBI. Put your hands up where we can see them!" Elle ordered him in a stern tone and Novilene knows it wasn't the right time for her to correct Elle. "Put your hands through the window now! Now!" They stared at each other when Vogel raise his hands up outside of the window. "All right, with your left hand, I want you to open the car door from the outside." Vogel opened it as Elle grabs the man and pushing him down then Novilene blink in surprised that it is not Vogel.

"He created a diversion." Novilene spoke out loud from her thoughts when Vogel switch someone to lure them away from him. She clicked her tongue in annoyance then asking the unknown man. "Where is he? Vogel?" She asked the man in her cold tone.

"I don't know!" The man answered and crying out in pain by Elle's grasp.

"What are you doin' driving his car!?" Gideon asked the man.

"He came up to me in the garage after our shift ended. He asked if he could borrow my truck!" He exclaimed and whimpering in pain.

"What kind of truck?" Novilene questioned him but the man didn't answer.

"He's dumping the body." Elle spoke out her theory while Novilene gripping her gun tightly.

"What's make? What's the brand of the car!?" Novilene asked the man in her stern tone.

"Dodge! Dodge Dakota!" The man answered them.

They let the man go free and the three of them go back inside of the car. Gideon's phone ring to see Morgan is calling him and he accepts the call after one ring.

 ** _"Gideon, Heather's alive."_** Morgan told them after finding out Slessman's computer password and allows them to access his file. They stared at each other in a confused expression.

"How do you know?" Gideon asked Morgan.

 ** _"Cause we're watching her right now."_** Novilene breathes out heavily and her hands turned cold that they're running out of time before Vogel could dump Woodland's body.

"Good job and keep us update." He ends their conversation and starting to call Hotch. "Hotch, he's gonna kill her. He's heading there now. We need a location."

 ** _"I don't have enough time to get it out of him."_** Hotchner explained to them in his distressed tone. He's getting frustrated with this guy if only Novilene is here to open him up.

"Find something, Hotch, or that girl is dead." He ends the call and Novilene immediately raises her hand towards his direction. "What is it, Novilene?"

"I need to call Morgan and asked some questions, now." Gideon immediately hands his phone towards her and she called Morgan.

 ** _"Gideon, what is it?"_** Morgan asked while he and Reid watching the laptop with a dreadful look on their face.

"It's me, Cruz. I need you to do me a favor." Novilene answered with a serious expression.

 **"What is it?"** Morgan is looking at Reid and he shrugged in response.

"Look closely at the video that gives us any clues to find out where Woodland's hideout." Novilene explained to Morgan that she mentally curse for not being with them. "If you have the answers, call Hotchner and he'll get answers from Slessman to tell him what you guys found."

 ** _"The light bulb hanging from the wire?"_** Novilene heard Reid's voice that he's with Morgan.

 ** _"Yeah, what about it?"_** Morgan asked the young man.

 ** _"It's shifting positions like it's swaying... like the earth is tilting."_** Reid explained and finally understands why Novilene is asking them to look at the video closely.

 ** _"Not the earth, doc. The ocean. Cruz, how on earth did-"_ **Morgan looked shocked and wanted to find out why she's asking them to observe the live video feed.

"Just do what I say. We're running out of time." She ends up the call and handing the phone to her dad. "They already find out the clues and Woodland would be either pier or a dock or a shipyard."

"If Heather is on a boat- it'll take a long time to search for her." Elle pointed out towards the young woman.

"I may not know Hotchner very well but... he's the only man who could get answers from Slessman." Novilene stared at the window and trying herself to shake off her drowsiness.

* * *

Novilene, Gideon and Elle are in the Allied Shipyard to save Woodland and to capture Vogel. The three of them separated themselves as Novilene jump over the boat silently and walking slowly while holding her gun. She hides behind the barrel to see Vogel is holding the girl in front of him while he pointed his gun at her.

"Stop!" Vogel exclaimed at Gideon's direction when he didn't notice Elle is across from him and Novilene behind his back. "I'll shoot her."

"I wouldn't." Gideon spoke in a low tone but loud enough to hear his voice. Novilene stared at Elle's direction that she'll shoot Vogel while she saves the girl as Elle nodded her head in agreement. "If I were you, I'd aim the gun at me. You shoot the girl, you got nothing."

"Get... back!" Glaring at the cop filled with hatred.

"Shoot me instead. Come on. What, are you a lousy shot?" Gideon mocked Vogel and raising his hands in a surrender position. "50 feet away. You got a perfect shot. Shoot me."

"You think I'm stupid?" Vogel asks with a disbelief look on his face.

"I think you're an absolute moron. I know all about ya, Tim." Novilene breathes heavily and thinking her father is insane of mocking the kidnapper. "You're at the gym 5 times a week. You drive a flashy car, you stink of cologne, and you can't get it up. Not even viagra's workin' for ya. Do you know what that tells me? That tells me you are hopelessly compensating, and it's not just in your head. It is physical. What did the girls call you in high school? What'd they come up with when you fumbled your way into some girl's pants, and she started laughing when she got a good look at just how little you had to offer?"

"Shut up!" Vogel yelled angrily.

"Short stack? Very little Vogel? I got it. Tiny Tim." He smirked widely.

Vogel shoved Woodland and shoot Gideon's shoulder as Elle shoots at him quickly before he could kill Gideon. Novilene showed up in front of Woodland and she cries harder.

"No, no!" She exclaimed while kicking her legs and Novilene raises her hand with a calm look expression.

"Ma'am, it's alright. You're safe and unharmed. See?" Novilene raises her hand up and never intend to hurt a civilian. "We're here to save you."

Woodland is crying heavily and throwing her body towards the young woman. Novilene is hugging the girl while rubbing her back. "I'll remove those cuffs." Novilene spoke gently and uses her hairclip to uncuff on Woodland's wrists.

* * *

They finally save Woodland as Novilene is observing the water in deep thoughts. She's going to move Arizona in three days and her two best friends are opening their home for her until she gets herself her own apartment and job. "Doctor or **guro (teacher)**?" Muttering under her breath until she heard footsteps.

"Cruz?" Novilene turned around to see Reid is approaching her nervously. "I heard Gideon said this is your last case, why?"

She shrugged her shoulders and looking at the calm waters. "I need a break from the case that's all. I owed you to tell how I know Sherlock Holmes, isn't it, Reid?" Novilene asks him with a gentle smile and he smiles shyly.

Reid would never have a guess Novilene's smile suits her more than the cold calculative look when it comes to the case. She has a split personality between personal life and work. "You don't have to, Cruz... I mean, it's just that... he creates a website called-"

"The Science of Deduction." Novilene interrupted him and pushing her glasses up. "That's his one of his hobbies to do or his blog or among other things." Mentally cringed whenever Sherlock drags her to the morgue room as he did an experiment on a human dead body.

"You knew him very well." He could tell her expression is filled with respect and loyalty towards Sherlock.

"He and I went to University together and hates me." Novilene explained and shoving her hands into her black coat. "Sherlock couldn't read me like any other people he encountered with. I'm the only person who can tolerate his behavior and accepts who he really is. People always assume he's a psychopath but Sherlock is a high functioning sociopath. Deep inside, Sherlock has a rare caring personality."

"To think you're friends with him." He shook his head and couldn't grasp her relationship with Sherlock are friends. "I have a feeling Hotch would want you to be part of our team." Reid is changing the subject.

Novilene frowned the idea of her working in the BAU together with Gideon. She's not ready enough to be back in the field after everything that happened. The young woman is lucky enough she didn't have a breakdown or else their case would be compromised because of her. "My answer is no. I won't join your team, Reid and I'm sorry for that." She smiles sadly and walks away from him.

Reid looks hurt by her rejection of not joining their team. He's determined that someday Novilene would join them soon by changing her decisions.


	4. Chapter 2 Compulsion (Episode 2)

**_It makes my heart at ease that we manage to save Heather before Timothy "Tim" Vogel could kill her. Of all the places we're planning to reunite, I wasn't expecting to see my dad again in flesh. It's a bit awkward especially his colleagues find out that I'm one of his secret daughters- well, daughter considering I was supposed to have a twin sister but she died after giving birth. To be fair, we put our feelings behind and focusing the case in hand. After the whole fiasco, Hotch wanted me to be part of their team but I politely decline it._**

 ** _Want to know why? I'm already compromised and luckily I didn't screw up the last case with them. I need a fresh start and temporary staying with Phoebe and her husband, Steve. Living with them as I'm going to be a substitute Chemistry teacher in Arizona at Bradshaw College. ~Novilene Cruz_**

* * *

 **Bradshaw College ||Tempe, Arizona||**

"Okay, class! That's it for today and make sure you do your homework!" The students cheered that they got dismissed early by their substitute teacher.

"Thank you, Ms Cruz!"

"You're the best!"

"We love you!"

Novilene chuckled and shook her head slightly at the students. She blames her best friend, Phoebe, for dragging her into this mess by teaching them in Chemistry. Phoebe always loves to brag her achievements and somehow got a job quickly by her. She's substituting Phoebe as she's on maternity leave because of her 8 months pregnancy. Erasing the writings on the board and remembered her students admire her penmanship because it's neat and understandable whereas some teachers writing it quickly. It's not bad for teaching teenagers seeing they are determined enough to pass this subject this year. It gives Novilene an advantage to get away from those crimes since she quit the job in the first place.

"Hey, Nov?" Turning around to see the blond man is leaning on the door with a smile on his face. "How's the job?"

"Completely different from what I used to do, Steve." Novilene answered truthfully and smiling at him. "I'll get used to it."

"Well... considering your first job is Doctor, next is the Police officer and now this." Waving his hand up and down. "Seriously? I actually thought you're going to work with Jason."

"Things change." Shrugging her shoulders and grabbing her things. "It's been a year and a half since... I just can't." Gripping her notebook tightly with a dark look on her face.

"Can't or won't?" He asks with a serious look on his face. "Novilene, BAU is a good job for you. You have Jason and the others to have each other's back."

"How did you know?" She asks and demanded answers from the blond man. "I don't want to join or working with them." Novilene mostly receives an email or message to Hotch, pestering her to join them and won't stop bothering her until she said yes. She's getting annoyed and is not pleased to find out Gideon didn't stop them from joining her.

"Your dad and is the former pupil of my grandparents." He gives her a deadpanned expression. "My God bless their souls, he told me about it."

Novilene sighs heavily and shook her head as they went out of the classroom. "They have a group of experienced and talented people. I don't want to be part of them."

"You're completely being in denial." Rolling his eyes and wasn't surprised by her stubborn attitude. "Anyway- are you investigating someone causing a fire?"

"Not interested." Novilene immediately answered and Steve groaned. "What? Just because I'm in thirst for solving crime and I have to become like Sherlock, always meddling an interesting case. The world doesn't need Sherlock 2.0, once is enough." Steve grimaced the thought of having another Sherlock would bring them nothing but chaos.

"Ugh! Don't you think there's a pattern here?" Steve asks the light brown-haired woman and she's looking at him curiously. "I mean, 6 fires in 7 months and Phoebe couldn't help but feel uneasy in this college."

"Look." She stops walking and facing in front of Steve. "Let the police handle it and solve the-"

"Wait..." Steve squinted his blue eyes and looking behind Novilene. "Is that, Jason?"

"Huh? What?" Novilene turned around to see familiar faces again, Morgan, Reid, Elle, Hotch and Gideon are here in the college. "No way."

"Hell way!" He exclaimed and grabbing her arms. "Let's see him. I haven't seen him for ages, hey Uncle Jason!"

Gideon turned around and slightly look shocked to see his daughter and her best friend are here. "Steve and Novilene, what a surprise to see you here. Where's your wife?"

"Fee is on maternity leave because we have a new addition to our family coming in, soon." Steve answered with a smile on his face.

"Congratulations, Steve." Gideon smiled, feeling proud to know Steve and Phoebe are having their first newborn baby soon. "You're going to be a great father."

"More like completely idiot father of the year." Novilene muttered and Morgan snickered silently. "You guys are here because of the incident, isn't it?" Changing the subject and Steve rolls his eyes.

"Always get a bottom for this." Steve spoke up and ruffling her hair. "I need to go. My break is going to finish soon and I'll see you tonight?"

"I will and for the last time, do not cook and I'll be dead early because of your food poisoning." Novilene gives him the glare and he just laughs. "It wasn't funny! I nearly died because of your charcoal roast chicken."

"Stop being dramatic and how come Fee likes it?" Steve questioned her and earned a whack. "Ow!" Hissing and rubbing his left shoulder.

"Do I look pregnant to you!?" She exclaimed and Steve smiled nervously. "You're giving me an early grey hair to you." Rubbing her head and the other's look amused by their banters.

"You're carrying a bottomless stomach." Steve dodges her punch. "Love ya! Catch you later!" Waving at them before leaving.

Novilene exhales and regaining her composure. "You haven't answered my question dad. You guys are here for the incident?" She asks them and wasn't surprised if the Dean called them first.

"Yes, and you knew as well." Gideon pointed out and Novilene remained silent. "Your hair is really short."

Her once usual long-waist hair length is gone because Steve tries to curl her hair but he burns it. Novilene slaps Steve repeatedly using the paper fan for damaging her hair and allows Phoebe to cut her burn hair. "A certain blond idiot insists to curl my hair and ends up burning it, Phoebe decided to cut my hair. Head straight and turn right, that's where the room was burned." She explained and turning her back to walk away.

Gideon grabs her wrist to prevent Novilene from walking away. "Wait, you're joining with us."

"I beg your pardon?" Novilene blinks her eyes behind the glasses. "In case you forgotten, I'm no longer a cop."

"You're not?" Elle asks and wasn't expecting Novilene resigning her job. "Cruz, you're an amazing cop."

"Past, was." Novilene corrected Elle and looking at Gideon. "You don't need me, dad. You have them." She doesn't want to join them for she fears losing someone she cares again.

"I ask **his** permission to join with us and **he** said yes." Gideon answered and Novilene's expression turned scowled. "Are you willing to disobey **his** orders?" Ignoring their confusion looks as Novilene knew this guy.

Novilene wasn't expecting he would seek Ethan's permission to join their case despite no longer working in the IMF or known as Impossible Mission Force. "Follow me." Leading them where the crime scene. She's going to have a word with Ethan once this case is already over.

"Who is this guy that you need to seek permission for, Gideon?" Reid whispered low enough for Gideon to hear.

"Her stepbrother. He's quite overprotective and the only guy who could push Novilene." Gideon whispered back and Reid nodded his head.

"Here you go." She stopped walking, allowing Hotch and Reid to investigate the place.

"Door was locked." Hotchner commented and stared down the side of the door.

"Matthew Rowland and his roommate watched as the doorknob turned against the lock." Reid explained and glances at the young woman. "Have you catching up to this, Cruz?"

"I did and in my defense... I'm doing this for Phoebe's sake because she's scared of stepping inside of the college. "Her gaze stared at the door in her cold expression. "But the Unsub couldn't get in. So she pours the accelerant into the room from the hallway."

"She?" Hotchner asked Novilene and she nodded her head in agreement. "What makes you think this unsub is a girl, Cruz?"

"Instinct and I know it's rare to have a female Unsub... it's hard to explain not unless I've been searching enough answers for this case." She coughs slightly and looking away from their shocking expressions. Novilene is not like Sherlock who would always pry their investigation.

"What if this instinct of yours is not she but he?" Novilene shrugged and didn't bother to defend her answers since she just involved the case today. "Which means he couldn't see the fire." Looking away from her.

"But he could hear Matthew Rowland screaming." Reid pointed out and Novilene nodded her head in agreement. He gave her an apologetic look that he's on his superior side which returned reassuring look from Novilene.

"Yeah, but not for long. He would have left quickly."

"Yeah, to avoid being spotted."

"It doesn't make sense." He stared at Reid in confusion.

"Pyromania as a mental disorder may just be a simple myth, but we do know from precedent that serial arsonists derive pleasure from pathological fire-setting." Reid explained and noticed Novilene stared at him in awestruck as he blushed slightly. She laughs nervously and clearing her throat.

"Sex and power." Novilene added and crossing her arms. "But a serial arsonist wouldn't just set a fire and walk away."

"He needs to experience it." Hotch pointed out and Novilene sighs quietly that she gets confused by the arsonist as they are as well.

"So why would he set a fire he couldn't watch?" Reid asked Hotchner and Novilene.

"I don't have answers but we'll keep looking for it." Novilene spoke up and stared at the two of their choosing clothes then sighing heavily. "You guys are practically good at choosing your outfit." She started to leave the dorm while the two men stared at each other.

"What's that supposed to mean, Cruz?" He asked curiously and Novilene stared at them in a shocked expression.

"You guys... are basically gaining a lot of attention because of your professional looks saying we're the FBI and going to catch a criminal." She said bluntly and adjusting her messenger bag while ignoring her grumbling stomach hoping they wouldn't hear it. "Try to look less professional."

The two men stared at her amused that they've been told the same thing from Gideon.

* * *

Novilene is staying with the others when she observed the burnt equipment when it has been brought by the Fire Inspector Zhang.

"He turned the water off just before the fire. The last 3 weeks were set with these. 2 devices, simultaneous ignition." Inspector Zhang explained to them.

"There was no device used on Matthew Rowland." Gideon pointed out and pushing himself up when he leans the table. "Unsub set that one manually?"

"He wanted to be there to enjoy the kid's death." Morgan suggested and Novilene biting her lips when she observed the burnt device.

"Not necessarily." Hotchner commented.

"Well, if the target was Matthew Rowland, then why set the other 2 fires?" Elle questioned and noticed Novilene's expression is different when she's thinking about the unsub.

"The motives for arson are relatively simple. There's vandalism, crime concealment, political statement... profit and revenge." Reid explained and staring at Novilene when she's in deep thought.

"We interviewed Matthew Roland's roommate. He said Matthew was very well-liked. No reason for revenge." Inspector Zhang spoke and Novilene blinking her eyes then stared at him.

"What about vandalism?" Turner asked them.

"No. the fires are too sophisticated, and if he's trying to make a political statement, he's not being too clear about it." Elle answered and Novilene grabs the burning object.

"There's an underlying strategy in this case." Novilene spoke up. "Matthew, firefighters, injured victims. To the Unsub, they're not people. They're..."

"Objects." Hotchner finished her sentence and she hums in agreement.

"More like..."

"Uh... chess pieces." Reid finished Novilene's thought and she smiled then agreeing with him.

"Exactly." She throws it straight to the box.

* * *

Novilene decided to be with Elle and Reid while sipping her black coffee. She doesn't want to be with Gideon and have another tension between father and daughter duo. Elle was quite pleased to see Novilene again to help her out, despite she's very well-guarded her emotions.

"The timer sets the road flare, which the lights the chemical mixture inside the canister. Simple." Elle explained to the young geniuses.

"Yet sophisticated in its simplicity." Novilene pointed out and smiling sheepishly when Reid was about to explain to Elle. He returned the shy smile whereas Elle is smirking behind the mug. "There's a meticulous construction to it."

"Chemical accelerant could mean chemistry student."

"Could also mean Chemistry Professor." Reid added and Novilene clearing her throat while she raises her eyebrows at him.

"You do know that I'm a substitute Chemistry Professor." Novilene spoke bluntly and trying to tease him. "Does that make me one of the suspect lists? Since I have a bachelor in Chemistry."

"What? No-no-no that-that was-was- not-not my-my inten-intention to-to accuse-accuse you, Cruz." Reid stuttered as Novilene giggling at his red face of embarrassment.

"Relax, I didn't mean to tease you." Novilene assured him and drinking her coffee. "This Unsub could be a student. You need the self-confidence to lecture in front of a classroom full of 30 college kids. Let me rephrase that, try dealing 51 students in one room back in the Philippines." Reid looked shocked to know the number of students in one room back in her country.

"Cruz is right." Elle agreed with her theory. "Arsonists are socially incompetent. This guy doesn't go on dates. He doesn't go to parties. He doesn't feel comfortable in front of groups." Reid stopped what he's doing with the broken device then stared at Elle. "And, of course, he's a total psychopath."

"Course." Reid muttered and looked down as he feels warm hands. Looking up to see Novilene's dark brown eyes gazing at him in gentle expression.

"From what my dad told me through emails about you... you're a different person and you came this far to capture criminals, Spen." Novilene spoke in a soft tone and squeezing his hand gently. "You have a brave heart and you're nothing like them... don't even think about it."

"Gideon told you about me?" Spencer asked Novilene and she nodded her head in agreement. "I didn't know about that."

"My dad can be secretive sometimes for different reasons. If it's any consolation, I don't go parties to have alcohol drinks because I'm allergic to it." She let go of his hands and seating next to him while Elle smiled seeing their interactions.

"You do?" Reid asked her in a surprised tone and realize she's calling her Spen not Spencer. "You called me Spen."

"Yeah, I did, anyway, my two best friends Phoebe and Steve decided that during my 18th birthday... we should be drinking alcohol since my mom and dad agreed to it because it was a weekend no class. The three of us decided to get drunk and the next day, I ended up a lot of red spots all over my body except my face." Novilene remembered their panicked faces when they sent her straight to the hospital. "I didn't know that I'm allergic to it and most of my family loves to drink alcohol."

"Boyfriend?" Novilene froze and Reid panic when he saw her body was tense. "Sorry- I-I-I-"

"Zack died in a year and half." She whispered and holding her key necklace tightly of remembering him.

Reid stared at her in sympathy seeing her sadness and finally understands why she's being a guard on her emotions and feelings. Elle can't help but feel sympathy towards her that she didn't expect Novilene had a boyfriend.

"Uh- guys, I hate to break this up but you need to see this." Elle called them up as they stared at the building to see it's been building next door was on fire in their horrified expression.

* * *

Novilene breathes heavily as she looks defeated like the rest of them. One of the Chemistry Professor Wallace is dead and one of Phoebe's friends. She doesn't even know how to explain it to her best friend, telling one of her friends is dead. Novilene couldn't even understand why the arsonist killed innocent people when Matthew Rowland and Professor Wallace. It drives her insane for not solving this case fast and wanting to have Sherlock by her side.

"The man who died today..." Novilene spoke up to gain their attention towards her. "His name was Professor Wallace and one of Phoebe's friends. I don't even know how to say it towards her, especially when she's pregnant."

"Is she still teaching?" Morgan asked Novilene and she shook her head slightly.

"No, she's on maternity leave and we both strictly told her not to step in the college without one of us." Novilene explained and observing the picture. "I became a substitute Professor until she is coming back to work."

"I think it would be best not to tell your friend about this for now." Hotchner told her and she agreed since having stress pregnant lady is not healthy for her and the baby.

"I wouldn't be surprised if she knows about this." She sighs heavily and leaning on the table right next to Reid.

"We've been at this all night, and we've got nothin'." Morgan explained and grabbing one of the pictures. "Look at these expressions. We got fear, a touch of horror, even a little bit of panic. Where's the guy gettin' off?"

"When asked about his motives, Peter Dinsdale said, **_'I am devoted to fire. Fire is my master.'_** " Reid spoke out loud when he stares at the computer as Novilene starting to think of her theory.

"Okay, so who was our boy's master? 10,000 plus students..." Morgan lightens the lighter then staring at his teammates. "And one has a serious fascination with fire."

"Fire starting is one-third of homicidal triad... and early predictor of adult disassociative criminal behavior. If we looked in his childhood, we'd probably find all three. Bedwetting... and cruelty to animals." Elle explained to everyone as Novilene crossing her arms.

"Absent or abusive father, trouble with the opposite sex, chronic low self-esteem-M.O would be dynamic." Novilene pointed out and notice everyone stared at her. "Evolving, fire setting escalates, they thrive on panic, fear. It's just the standard profile of a serial arsonist."

"Based on hundreds of interviews." Reid spoke up.

"Based on precedent." Morgan added while playing the fire.

"Everything the Unsub should be, according to research." Elle pointed out.

"We're off the mark." Hotchner spoke bluntly.

"Because of the missing 2 elements." Gideon stated and stared at Novilene as she sighs softly.

"Sex and power- the 2 motives that drive a serial arsonist." She explained and furrowed her eyebrows. "And without'em, you guys do not have a profile."

"We, Cruz." Morgan corrected the young woman and she shot him a confused looked. "You're part of our team."

"I'm not part of your FBI, Morgan." Novilene retorted back and glancing at the pictures based on the burning room. "Wait a minute..." She stared at the destroying bulb.

"Is there something on your mind, Cruz?" Hotchner asked her seeing her usual cold calculative looked then noticing she's closing her eyes to imagine the scenario.

"Don't disturb her yet." Gideon told them and noticing his daughter is in deep concentration when she's imagining herself as Professor Wallace. "She's thinking and I have a feeling Novilene has the answers."

"Is she going to tell us who our Unsub is?" Elle asked and didn't know his daughter could be so genius at a very young age despite being younger than Reid.

"The Unsub drill the side of the bulb." Novilene opened her eyes and looking at them. "To put inside like gasoline or any flammable liquid when Professor Wallace turn the switch on-"

"That's the time when the fire started." Morgan interrupted her in a surprised looked that she can figure it out by a small amount of time.

"Exactly and I'm not sure if my theory is right or wrong." She placed down the picture. "What if one of the Unsub is a Chemistry student?"

"What makes you sure about that, Novilene?" Gideon asked his daughter and she bit her lips lightly.

"This Unsub killed innocent people without being seen and using his or her Chemistry knowledge to apply a bulb explosion." She explained and crossing her arms. "I've seen plenty of Chemistry teachers wouldn't do something like this and my bet is the Chemistry Student could be our Unsub."

"What if you're wrong, Cruz?" Morgan asked the young woman having doubts about the Unsub could be the Chemistry student. "The bulb part you told us is strongly accurate but the Unsub could be the students?"

"You can say that in my face to say I'm wrong. Right now, we have a meeting to meet the 4 graduating Chemistry students and Inspector Zhang." She grabs her messenger bag and leaving them alone.

"You know, Gideon, I don't even know how you manage to get a daughter like her that she's some kind of psychic." Morgan commented and staring at the older man when he wears the amused expression.

"She's intelligent and almost like a female version of Sherlock Holmes." Gideon pointed out and stared at his teammates. "We need to convince her to join us, she's going to be a great asset to us."

* * *

Reid, Hotch and Novilene are in the Chemistry lab together with the 4 Chemistry students and Fire Inspector Zhang. Hotch approached the two young people and decided to ask Reid a favor.

"Reid. Since you're more their age, why don't you do the talking?" Hotch asked him as Reid wearing a panic expression then glancing at Novilene.

"Novilene is younger than me. She can do the talking." Reid passed the responsibility towards the light-brown haired woman seeing she's more confidence towards himself.

"Spen, in case you forgot. Which I hope not, I'm not the FBI here." Novilene pointed out and squeezing his shoulder lightly. "I'll be here to help you out, I promise." Herself and Hotchner stepping back letting Reid talk towards them.

"Ahem. Hi-hi, guys. Uh, my name's, uh, Dr. Spencer Reid. I'm a, uh, Agent with the-the BAU, the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI, which, um, it used to be called the BSU, the Behavioral Science Unit, but not anymore. They changed it to the BAU. Um, it's part of the NCAVC, the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime which is also part of this thing called CIRG, the Critical Incident Response Group, and-" Novilene couldn't help but cringe seeing the students are getting bored of his rambled then decided to help him out.

"From what Dr. Reid is trying to say." Novilene stepping up and patting his shoulder lightly. "We would love to know how you can help us." She held the bulb to let everyone see it. "I'm holding the bulb... I know how it explodes and can one of you explained how this bulb explodes before the fire started."

"Ms Cruz." One of the Chemistry students, Jeremy, raising his hand and staring at her. "If you know the answers, how come you seek our help?" The students murmured in agreement as she smiled sheepishly at him.

"There are times that I as a Chemistry Professor could be wrong and the students are often right, Jeremy." Novilene lied and she had a feeling one them could be the Unsub. She's trying to observe them just a little bit towards them. "Do you remember one time that Professor Dobrev gets a mistake when she computes the wrong equation? I was with you guys to observe and one of you corrected her?" Which earned her a chuckled or giggling from them that ease their tension down a little bit while Hotchner and Reid can't help but admire her that she could ease the thick tension.

"I did and Professor Dobrev was embarrassed at it. Can I give it a try, Ms Cruz?" Jeremy asked his substitute Chemistry Professor.

"Be my guest, Jeremy." She handed the bulb towards him.

"Thanks, Ms Cruz." He smiled and held it towards them. "See this? Drill a hold in the side, fill it with gasoline or whatever's good and flammable. Turn the light on, Boom. That is what went down, didn't it?" He asked them as Novilene can't help but nodded her head agreeing with his theory.

"The stuff's all over the net." Everyone turned around to see one of the Chemistry students, Clara Hayes, spoke up as Novilene staring at her in a curious expression. "Wanna know how to make a molotov cocktail that sets itself on fire? Potassium, sulfur... and normal sugar. Sugar-sugar, which is-"

"Not exactly plutonium." Jeremy intervened and Novilene can't help but feel suspicious towards Clara Hayes that she couldn't point it out why. "You could get this stuff anywhere."

"Sugar from the supermarket." She twisted her ring nervously and Novilene hums in agreement.

"But you don't need to be a chem major to know that." Hotch pointed out the female student.

"Do you think it's a Chem student?" Fire Inspector Zhang asks them.

"You wanna know what I think?" Jeremy questioned them and raising the bulb above his head. "I think... it would be a good time to take the semester off." He handed over the bulb towards his substitute Professor as Novilene shaking her head at him.

"Thank you for your cooperation and sorry for having a meeting this late. You may now dismiss." Novilene told everyone that the students sigh in relief that they have a short meeting instead of long.

* * *

Novilene cursed and rummaging her messenger bag then pockets that she has no keys. She smiled sheepishly at them and laughs nervously.

"I need to-"

"Ms Cruz!" They turned around to see Jeremy is running towards them. "I can take it from here." He pressed the key towards the elevator as it starts to move. "You need a key to get it movin' after 10:00 P.M"

"So what are you still doin' here?" Hotch asked the boy as Jeremy playfully glared at Novilene.

"I can't leave. We got projects because Ms Cruz gave us the hot to solve the 3 body problem? Computing the mutual gravitational interaction between the earth, sun and moon? Ms Cruz, can't you give us the easy one?" Jeremy pleads the teacher as she gave him an apologetic looked.

"I'm just following her instructions and it can't be that hard?" Which earned her a glared from Jeremy as she coughs slightly. "She's going to strangle me about this right?"

"We won't tell her, I promise." Novilene groaned while Hotchner stared at her in amused expression the same thing as Reid. "You two may be BFF but can't you help us just a little bit?"

"How about this." Novilene sighs heavily and rubbing her forehead that gained her a bit of a headache. She decided to help them out a little of their project. "We'll compromise this... your project is part of the exam, I'll have one to one with your groups and explain what you guys have."

"You mean-" He widened his eyes and hugging Novilene and she giggles in amusement. "I love you so much, Ms Cruz!"

"That would be your grade and once we finish the exam, I'll explain a few points to get your project correctly." She patted Jeremy's back and he pulls away. "Tell your classmates about this ASAP and never tell to anyone from a different class, got it?" Novilene gives him a pointed look.

Jeremy salutes Novilene for being one of the best Chemistry substitute teachers they ever have. "Yes, ma'am!" Trying to copy Novilene's British accent but it failed to cause her to chuckle. "Bye!"

"Be safe!" Novilene waves at him and looking at Reid and Hotch to see their amused expression. "I know, we've been there before. Some teachers won't do it but I wanted to make them a bit relax."

"We can tell your students care for you, Cruz." Reid commented and she smiles.

"Have you told your friend about Wallace?" Hotch asked the young woman and she nodded her head. "What did she say?"

"She's upset and worried about my well-being." Novilene answered as the three of them exit the elevator. "Phoebe understands why I'm keeping her secrets because I don't want her to get stressed. Especially when she's carrying the unborn child inside of her."

"Is she alone?" Reid asked seeing the blond man this morning when he's with Novilene.

"No, Steve is with her and he became overprotective after hearing the news." She sighs heavily and closing her eyes. "Hotchner, I can tell that you wanted to say something about me."

"Who is he that Gideon referring to? He seeks this guy permission before joining us." Hotch spoke up and wanted to hear an answer from her.

"My stepbrother is always overprotective. Some case hits me emotionally and I couldn't handle it anymore." Novilene is telling them the half-truth and never intend to reveal everything. "My brother is always there for me whenever dad always disappears." She smiled bitterly.

"You don't want to join BAU because of Gideon?" Hotch questioned her and she shook her head.

"Not because of him but I just- I don't want to do it anymore." Novilene whispered and walks on ahead first.

Reid feels worried about her and wanting to know why she's against the idea of joining them. Gideon had PTSD but he gets back because he's ready to be back on the field. Novilene just recently quit her job and move to Arizona to become a teacher. She's forced to help them because Gideon told her.

* * *

 ** _"Karen. I do this for Karen."_**

Novilene and the others are listening to the message been sent by the tech analyst, Penelope Garcia.

"Play it again." Gideon ordered them.

"The call came from the office right next to Wallace's 5 minutes before the fire was started." Morgan explained and Novilene tilted her head when she tried to listen to the message carefully.

 ** _"Karen. I do this for Karen."_**

"Again, louder."

 ** _"Karen. I do this for Karen."_**

Novilene frowned and chewing the lettuce food inside of her mouth slowly.

"What is it?" Morgan asked and noticed Novilene is thinking the same thing as her father.

"I'm not sure. Somethin' about it." Gideon answered and stared at his daughter. "Nov?"

"There's something wrong about it and I couldn't point it where." Novilene answered and finishing her salad then drinking her tea.

"Is this tape clean?" Hotchner asked the tech analyst when they're having a video chat with her.

 ** _"I can put it through some audio filters."_** Garcia explained to everyone and slightly nervous when she's going to face Gideon's daughter soon enough.

"Look, we need as close to the real voice as you can get, and anything that might be in the background. Can you do it?" Morgan asked the blonde tech analyst.

 ** _"Ok, you know how on Star Trek when Captain Kirk asks McCoy to do something totally impossible, and McCoy says, 'damn it, Jim, I'm a doctor, not a miracle worker?'"_**

"Hey, what are you tellin' me, not to expect a miracle?"

 ** _"No, I'm saying I'm not a doctor."_**

"That's my girl." Morgan chuckled as Novilene stared at Reid.

"Are they lovers?" She whispered in a low tone towards him.

"No, but I'm not surprised if they'll end up being together." Reid whispered back as she chuckled silently.

* * *

Novilene is sitting under the tree right next to Reid when she's gazing at the leaves in her serene expression while Gideon is pacing back and forth.

"What if the Unsub is one of the students leaving? Like what Cruz said?" Reid asked his mentor.

"No, he's not done, yet. He's not goin' anywhere." Gideon answered and smiled seeing her daughter in calm expression. "Keep thinkin'."

"You mean, out-outside the box?" Novilene stared at Reid in a curious expression. "That's what Morgan's always telling me. He says that's why I can never beat you at Chess."

"Well, he's probably right." Novilene spoke up and smiling gently at him. "You focus what's inside of the box but not the outside, Spen."

"You beat your father at Chess?" Reid asks in a surprised tone and Novilene nodded her head in agreement. "How?"

"My father beat me plenty of times when it comes to Chess." She chuckled and staring at her father. "I really sucked at playing Chess then he encourages me not to give up till I finally beat him the first time."

"It brings back memories when you're getting frustrated for losing the game." Gideon teased his daughter and she chuckled nervously.

"I was 9 years old at that time and you can't blame me for that." Novilene defended herself and unconsciously leaning on Reid's shoulder as he tense at the gesture then becoming relax.

"Cruz?" Novilene tilting her head and staring at Reid. "In this situation, what exactly is the box?"

"The standard profile arsonist. If everything you know goes in the box, what's left?" She questioned Reid.

"What you don't know. The unknown."

"Sometimes you have to get creative. Even if you think it's utterly unlikely, you have to think of things nobody else thought of."

"Like a stutter."

"Yeah, exactly." Gideon answered and leaving them alone as she hums then gazing at the sky.

"Can I ask you a question, Cruz?" Novilene stared at him in a curious expression. "Do you know why the Footpath killer stutter?"

"Footpath killer stutter?" She repeated the question and he nodded her head in agreement. Her dark expression appeared and he jumps in surprised to see her reaction. "Cr-Cruz?" Reid couldn't help but feel scared around her seeing the dark look and wondering what this Footpath killer got to do with her.

"My apologies." She stands up and wiping the dirt on her casual dress. "I didn't mean to scare you, Spen."

"That-that-that's fine, have you met the Footpath killer before?" He repeated the same question.

"No, but, I know why he stutter." Novilene answered and raising her arms to help him pull up. "Dad didn't tell me why... but he explained the experience what he's been through. I finally understand why the Footpath killer stutter."

"Can you tell me, why?" He accepts her hand and pulling himself up as she shakes her head at him. "Even a hint?"

"If my dad gives you this assignment why the Footpath killer stutter, it's not in my position to give you the answer." She smiled apologetic looked then glanced at her watch. "I have a class to teach so I'll see you later, Spen. Call me Novilene instead of Cruz."

* * *

Novilene sighs in relief when she slumps back the chair for finishing the exam and help students out. Her mind is already drained and wanting to relax at home and chill. Novilene couldn't do it since she's helping their case while teaching other classes which makes her tired out easily. Her phone rings to see Ethan is calling and she accepts it.

"Hey, Ethan. How are you?" She asks her older brother and hearing his chuckle.

 ** _"I'm fine and how's the case?"_** He only received a sigh from his younger sister. **_"I take it you haven't found the culprit."_**

"I do know the Unsub is a female Chemistry student and none of them excluding dad my don't trust me enough." She talked about her problem and noticing their doubts when it comes to her theory. "They're quite persistent to join their team **kuya (brother)** "

 ** _"They saw your potential the way I've seen you. Give them time and please do me a favor to accept their offer, sis."_** Ethan pleads at his sister knowing she's more stubborn than him.

"Ethan-"

 ** _"Zack wouldn't want you to push someone who cares for you, sis."_** She froze and stared at the table in sadness then playing the necklace around her neck. **_"I know it hurts but you have to let someone in. Zack may be gone but you always remember him in your heart... don't ever forget that."_**

"Am I being distance towards other people, Ethan?" Novilene questioned him and she already knows the answers.

 ** _"I would be lying if I said no."_** He sighs heavily and staring at the picture of himself, his half-brother and stepsister are smiling each other inside of his wallet. **_"It's been a year and a half, let people in your life. They agreed to let the BAU knows your file and it's also your decision when you are wanted to reveal your file."_**

"You're making my life miserable, Ethan." She groaned and shook her head slightly while Ethan laughs softly knowing he pushes her buttons slightly to change her decisions. "I gotta go and solve this message. I have a feeling that we're not looking for Karen but something else."

 ** _"Okay, good luck my baby sister. Take care of yourself and send my regards to the married couple and the unborn baby."_**

"I will, love you."

 ** _"Love you too."_**

She ends up the call and sighs then hearing another voice when Morgan sends her the message through her phone.

 ** _"Karen. I do this for Karen."_**

Novilene slams her head and already figuring it out the voice. How did she able to miss it that the Unsub is not doing it for Karen but for Charown. The young woman immediately fled the office to go meet up with others.

"Guys!" Novilene barge in and everyone looked alarmed as they're about to grab their guns, sighing in relief to see it's only her. She raises her hand to give her a moment to calm herself down then composing herself. "The Unsub is not saying Karen but Charown."

"Charown?" Reid asks and she nodded her head as Gideon barge in the room noticing his daughter figuring it out as well.

"Yes, Charown." Novilene repeated it and glancing at her father. "I do it because of Charown, not Karen."

"That's Hebrew." He pointed out towards the father and daughter.

"It's God's word in anger." Gideon added.

"Yeah."

"The motive is now religious?" Elle asks in disbelief tone as Novilene erase the writings on the board.

"Well, Brahman is fire in Hinduism, and the Jews see God as a pillar of fire, and Christians worship God as a consuming fire." Hotch explained while Novilene listens to their conversations as she wrote the religious name on a whiteboard.

"Maybe he's punishing the other students for their sins." Morgan explained his theory as Reid passed the salad towards Novilene by placing it towards the table seeing she eat less food.

"You can have this food, Novilene." Reid muttered and Novilene stared at him in confusion while writing the board. "You eat less food and I'm sure you're starving now." He noticed her eating portion is less than she usually eats.

"What about you?" She whispered back while Gideon smirked seeing his daughter is letting someone care about her.

"I don't want it." Reid answered and he already ate a lot of food.

"Okay." She shrugged and went back to write, ignoring his admiration of her neat penmanship writing.

"What- what's the most sinful place on campus?" Elle questions Morgan as he sent her disbelief look towards the other woman.

"Come on, Elle. When I was in college, that was everywhere." Morgan spoke in a blunt tone.

"A fraternity?" Hotch asks his teammates.

"A campus bar?" Elle suggested.

"No, cause that's not consistent with the previous targets."

"What about the idea of baptism by fire? Aren't we all supposed to be tested through fire in revelations?" Morgan question as Novilene finished her writing then facing towards them.

"Look, it's good, it's good, but let's... please do not jump to conclusions." Gideon told to everyone to gain their attention towards him. "Religion might be part of it, but it's not necessarily the prime compulsion."

"Gideon, rush to conclusions, jumps to conclusions." Morgan explained to the older man.

"Who cares? We are running out of time." Elle reminded them.

"Compulsion." Reid muttered and Novilene blinks her eyes then suddenly went to the computer to watch the video again while eating her food.

 ** _"This is crazy. Hey, Mac, get over here. You gotta see this. The building's on fire."_**

 ** _"Bro, you getting this?"_**

 ** _"Get out of the way! We should call campus security."_**

 ** _"Relax, man. There are always fires during rush week."_**

 ** _"Yeah, but that's pretty big. What building is that?"_**

 ** _"Dude, over here. Check this out. What is it?"_**

 ** _"I don't know, but it's coming underneath the door."_**

 ** _"Is someone in the hallway?"_**

 ** _"Hey, someone's trying to get in."_**

 ** _"Hey, man, you should get away from there."_**

 ** _"Oh my god, it smells like gas."_**

 ** _"Help! Oh, my god! Oh, my god!"_**

 ** _"Hold on, man!"_**

Novilene closes her eyes and blinking slightly when she rewinds the video again. She notices to see Reid is facing the whiteboard with the blue marker on his hand as Gideon leaning the door staring at them.

"Keep thinkin'. It's like chess." Gideon informed then Reid stared at his mentor. "Don't look at just the next move. Try to look 3 moves ahead." He leaves them alone.

"Spen." Novilene called Reid as she zooms in the video to see the doorknob move three times. "We're missing the part to see this."

"Where?" Reid asks as she played the video again. "The doorknob move 3 times."

"It's some kind of pattern." Novilene explained her theory. "What if this Unsub kills someone that has number 3 on it?" Her blood went cold as she remembered something. "My gosh, what if the Unsub kills Phoebe next, Reid?" She asks worriedly and couldn't bear to lose another person dear to her.

"Hey, hey, hey... calm down, Novilene." Reid comforts the young woman seeing her distressed. "Your friend's husband is with her and he won't allow anyone to harm them, okay?"

"Okay." She sighs heavily and leaning back the chair. "We need to go back to the crime scene again to search for some answers."

* * *

Reid opens the drawer and grabbing the schedules of the college to scheme through it. Novilene stands right next to him to see the schedule as well.

"Professor Wallace. Tuesday 3:00." He read out loud and seeing another person's name. "Professor Dobrev. Wednesday 3:00."

"That's Phoebe's class." Novilene pointed out and staring at him. "Phoebe has Monday 2:30, Wednesday 3:00 and Friday 8:00."

"Let's hope that your friend is safe, Novilene." He smiled slightly at her.

"I hope so, she's one of my best friends including her husband, Steve." She murmured as they grab enough evidence and went back to the conference room.

"We know why the profile never fits." They came inside. "You were right to tell Morgan not to rely on precedent. The fire thus far has been completely task-oriented." Reid explained to Hotchner and Gideon.

"So once they're set, the Unsub is done?" Hotch asks the two younger people.

"Exactly. The Unsub is not a classical serial arsonist. He's someone who uses fire because of a completely different disorder."

"Which is?" Gideon asks them as Reid stared at her since she knows what it is.

"An extreme manifestation of OCD known as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder." Novilene answered and crossing her arms. "She does everything in 3's, and if we're right, she'll have to kill again."

"She?" He stared at her daughter why she prefers the unsub she not he.

"Dad, I know this sounds insane and let's not discriminate the gender, okay? I have a feeling the Unsub could be the female Chemistry student unsub." She explains and seeing disapproving looks from Hotch as Novilene stared at him. "Sir, the last time I didn't follow my instinct- 5 years ago... one of my mentors died in front of me while I was been tied up as a hostage by the criminals for ignoring my instincts."

"Novilene..." He stared at his daughter worriedly that she was suffered PTSD before because she didn't save her mentor at that time.

"You need to see this first." She changed the topic and opening the laptop then clicking the video. "There's a form of OCD called scrupulosity."

"Religious obsession and compulsion." Hotchner added and she nodded her head in agreement.

"An obsessive fear of committing sin, which creates so much anxiety that he's compelled to do something to ease that anxiety." Reid explained to them.

"Like setting fires."

"Where's the behavioral evidence?" Gideon asks tiredly when he rubbed his eyes.

"Right here." Reid played the computed. "All right. Remember the night of the 3 fires? We saw the doorknob turning against the lock. But he's not trying to get in. He's compelled to turn the doorknob 3 times."

"Well, what about the fires? The first ones were single fires. If the unsub was OCD, shouldn't they have all been in 3's?"

"They were in 3's. A trinity of 3's." Novilene explained and didn't notice her phone was ringing on silent. "The first fire occurred on March third."

"3:00 P.M, the third day, third month." Gideon pointed out and she hums in agreement.

"It's that convergence of 3's that causes overwhelming anxiety. Obsessive compulsives ease the anxiety by performing the compulsion." Reid explained and Novilene thinks of someone of the Chemistry students could be the unsub.

"What about the other fires? Professor Wallace?" Hotchner questions the two young geniuses.

"Office number 3. We checked for more patterns of 3's. His class was on Tuesday."

"Third day of the week."

"Matthew Rowland was in that class. It was his third class of the day. If we look into each of the fires... we'd find a lot of patterns having to do with 3's because our minds are incredibly adept at seeking out patterns. But to the Unsub, once the pattern hits, bam-he sets fire." He rambled and clicking his fingers.

"But if the target was always people. Why did no one die in the first few fires?" Gideon questions them curiously.

"They were failures." Novilene answered her father's question. "Up until Matthew Rowland- oh my gosh, why did I slip it from my grasp!" She slams her hand angrily and Reid jumps in surprised at her sudden outburst.

"You know who the Unsub is, Novilene? You're right... it's she, not he." Hotch stared at her while hiding his shock expression.

"Who?" Reid asks them as he is confused just like Gideon as well.

"Clara Hayes." Novilene spoke in her grim expression then grabbing her phone to see Steve is calling her. "Steve, hey. What's-"

 ** _"Phoebe is there and she didn't listen to me."_** Steve groaned and couldn't help but worried about his wife and the unborn child.

 **"Ano? (What?)"** she excused herself and leaving the room while ignoring their looks from her. "Why?"

 ** _"She left her laptop at the office last week."_** Novilene breathes heavily and clutching her dress tightly. **_"I explained everything to Phoebe that there is a killer on the loose and you grab it instead of her but she wouldn't listen to me. Please save them."_**

"Steve, I'll save them and get in here ASAP." She ends up the call then immediately trying to track Phoebe through her phone.

Novilene seeing Phoebe's tracking it until she heard the fire alarm then immediately calling her father.

 ** _"Novilene, where are you?"_** Gideon demanded where her daughter is as he could hear the huff coming from his phone.

"Dad, Fee is in the building and being the stubborn person. She goes alone without Steve." She running towards the stairs remembering they're on the fourth floor.

 ** _"She's alone!?"_** Gideon feels worried about Phoebe and her unborn child. It's dangerous for a pregnant woman to come to this building while there is a killer on the loose.

"Dad, we both know that Fee is quite stubborn..." She wipes off her sweat been showed by her forehead. "I found the location where Phoebe is. She's on the fourth building near the elevator from the third building campus across from us."

 ** _"Be careful, Mulan."_**

"Copy that." Novilene ended up the call and she already made up the fourth floor. She sighs and placing her gun behind her back and facing towards the girl, Clara Hayes, trying to throw the flare inside of the elevator with people inside. "Hayes, you don't have to do this, please." She spoke in a soft and calm tone.

"I have to do this, Ms Cruz." Clara spoke while holding the flare-up as Novilene step forward slowly.

"You know it's not rational, Clara. You were trying to tell me." Trying to calm Hayes down.

"God chose me to be tested, and now he's chosen them. If I don't do this, something terrible will happen." She explained to them and Novilene shook her head.

"What's going to happen, Clara? A flood? An earthquake? You know this isn't rational." Novilene spoke and glance behind her to see Hotch has her back.

"I know. I know. I know." She closes her eyes and holding the flare tightly.

"Please, resist it, Clara. You're a better person than burning innocent people." She spoke in a strong tone and stepping closer to her. "Do you think burning people will solve the problem? Including burning the mother with her unborn child?"

"Novy..." Phoebe spoke in a low tone and grateful she'll save them including her students and the unborn child inside of her womb.

"Ms Cruz! They must be tested. God's wrath-"

"Clara you told me it was the Chemistry student who burned the students. You left the message about Charown. Please, stop!" She immediately tackled Clara and stepping the flare to stop the fire.

"No!" Clara exclaimed as Novilene lock her arms back then handcuffing the girl.

"I can't let you harm more people, Hayes." She muttered and sighs in relief to see Jeremy, Phoebe, and the other students are drench in gasoline but they're fine physically. "I'm glad to see you guys alright."

"Ms Cruz!" The two students exclaimed and glad they stop Hayes to burn them alive inside of the elevator.

"Novilene!" She turned around to see her dad and Hotch approaching her. "Good job, kiddo."

"Thanks, dad." Novilene peered down to see a sheepish look from Phoebe. "Next time, you do what you're being told, okay?"

"Nice to see you too, Novy." Phoebe spoke sarcastically and rolling her eyes seeing she's getting overprotective like her husband, Steve.

Novilene is grateful that her best friend, unborn child and two students are safe and sound.

* * *

Novilene sighing softly while looking at the clear blue sky. The college was canceled for today because of Hayes and allowing both teachers and students to have some off. She didn't bother to say goodbye to them knowing her work is done for helping their case. Hugging her knees and bowing her head to enjoy a moment of silence.

"Novilene?" Someone called her softly and raising her head to see Reid. "Hey, everything okay?" He asks her worriedly.

Novilene looks shocked to see him. "I thought you guys head back in Virginia?" She stands up and dusting the dirt off her black trousers. "How did you find me?"

"I asked Steve where you are and looking for you." He sits down under the tree and looking into the sky. "This is a nice place."

Novilene follows the gesture and smiles. "You mean- you wanted to persuade me? Spen, you guys have more than enough experienced and talented Federal Agents. You don't need me." She spoke up while hugging her knees. "I'm already contented of my new job."

"I know you miss solving crimes." He spoke up softly and choosing his words very carefully. "I can see it in your eyes."

"It doesn't matter, my job is already over." She exhales softly. "I'm not ready enough-"

"Can't or won't?" Reid questioned her and she remained silent. "Novilene, you can still walk away and disobeyed your brother or Gideon's order but you didn't. If you're mentally not okay, you can walk away from the case."

"Why me... of all people? Is it because I share the same blood of my father?" Narrowing her eyes and looking at Reid in a cold expression. "You wanted me to join because of him?"

"What? No!" He exclaimed and they never think of her as Gideon's daughter but only herself. "It's not him. Hotch saw your potential and qualified enough to be part of our team."

"The world doesn't need me." She spoke softly and vowing herself not to join being a cop, Federal Agent or Spy Agent ever again. Novilene often loses someone she cares for and that's one of the reason why she quit the job.

"We need you." He didn't hesitates to hold her small warm hands. "If you ever close to have a breakdown, I'm- I mean we're here for you. Please... just give us a chance." Trying to swayed her mind to join them.

Steve suggested the idea of someone who's close to Novilene's age should change her mind, it happens to be Reid. He's reluctant the idea of him speaking to his mentor's daughter especially she has a sharp tongue. Reid is terrified of speaking Novilene especially she's a woman and barely know her. She's also a type of person who doesn't want to attach to new people easily rather analyzing them by her cold dark brown eyes.

"Let's just say, I'll give it a go-to join. What if I already compromise or hating it?" Novilene asks him curiously while hugging her legs.

"You can quit and Hotch would understand." He smiles gently and placing his hands on her shoulder. "Like I said, we didn't treat you differently because you're Gideon's daughter."

Novilene sighs heavily and didn't expect they're more stubborn compared to her. "Okay, I'll give you guys for two weeks. I'll tell you my final decision, to stay or retire." Giving him a bargain in exchange for joining their team.

"Deal." They shook hands as a sign of agreement.


	5. Chapter 3 Won't Get Fooled Again

**_I almost lost my best friend and my Godchild if Steve didn't call me while I'm helping the case. Phoebe scared us for going to college alone by herself without Steve or I because she's not a delicate flower. We're scared for her safety because she's carrying a baby inside of her womb. If I didn't make it time- I can't think of anything but always looking on the positive side._**

 ** _I made a deal with the team to join them for 2 weeks. To see whether I'm fitting to be part of them or I can easily quit the job as simple as that. Ever since I meet Spen, there's something that I haven't experience in a long time... making me feel alive. ~Novilene Cruz_**

Novilene pursed her lips in deep thought while looking at the door. She made a bet with Reid to have a trial work in 2 weeks. To determine whether she's going to say yes or no. Starting to get regret for making the stupid bet as her phone rings. "Oh, Sherlock?" Novilene muttered and pressing the green button. "Hey."

 ** _"Already regretting your decision, isn't it?"_** Sherlock asks with a smirk on his face to annoyed Novilene. **_"You can always go back to join me."_**

Novilene rolls her eyes and scoffs. "To annoy the hell out of me, no thank you. Thank you for your concern, Consultant." She smiles and imagining Sherlock is rolling his eyes.

 ** _"Who said that I'm concern, Lene?"_** He asks her in a blunt tone. ** _"Do yourself a favor and stop pitying yourself. Take care of yourself, sister."_** Saying the last part in a soft tone for his rare caring side to Novilene.

"Thank you, Sherlock." She smiles and ending up the call. "You can do this, Novilene. You've face worst criminals." Opening the door to see most people are busy with what they're doing right now. Looking for familiar faces and bump to Morgan and an unknown blonde woman.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't mini Gideon." Morgan teased the dark brown-haired woman and she shook her head. "Fancy seeing you here, no longer a teacher."

"Haha." She stared at him with a deadpanned expression. "Mini Gideon?"

"Technically you're Gideon's daughter and everyone knows you." He pointed out and she sighs heavily. "You're the whole gossip in here, girl."

"Great." She fake smiles and answering cheerfully. "I can't wait to answer their questions."

"You're pretty well-known now." The blonde woman spoke up and smiling politely towards Novilene. "I'm Special Agent Jennifer Jareau, JJ if you like. I'm the unit Liaison and my specialty is untangling bureaucratic knots."

"It's nice to meet you, I'm-"

"Novilene Marie Serenity Cruz, you're the youngest former Paediatrician Doctor at the age of 14, quitting the job before becoming a Detective till you receive a promotion, Captain of London Metropolitan Police." JJ intervened as Morgan gaped at the surprised hearing that news. "You have an IQ of 180 with no eidetic memory like Reid has, you have 5 Ph.D.'s Biochemistry, Criminology, Psychology, Sociology and Biomedical Physics. You also have two Bachelor of Chemistry and Art."

"Wow." Morgan is trying to grasp the information and couldn't believe she's almost the female version of Albert Einstein. "I can't believe I'm missing the part that you're also a Doctor Cruz."

"You didn't ask." Novilene shrugging her shoulders and hating to boast her achievements.

"What I also don't get untangled is that you're hiding a piece of classified information and sealed it tightly." JJ pointed out and staring at the young woman. "Why?"

Just when Novilene is about to answer someone barge in to see another blonde woman wearing the bright pink dress and approaching her. Novilene blinked in surprised and stepping backward. Seeing the blonde woman with glasses is observing her up and down then on her face.

"She is pretty in person. I'm Penelope Garcia the genius tech analyst and I love your outfit, wearing bright colors, unlike someone." The blonde woman compliments her choosing outfit, black trousers, and light blue long sleeves.

"You see, my stepbrother is always overprotective on me and asks his friends to make sure my files are sealed properly." Novilene answered them truthfully behind those sealed files. "Ever since he founds out my job is dangerous, he wanted to make sure no one could use my files against me."

"I can't believe your brother is overprotective on you, Cruz." Turning around to see Reid and Elle are joining them.

"Yeah, he is." She smiles and at them.

"Gideon was okay with it?" Reid asks her curiously.

"Yeah, he does, Spen, Dad knows my stepbrother is looking after my safety despite he's not a cop or Federal Agent." Novilene explained and pushes her glasses up.

"Spen?" Garcia whispered at Morgan as he chuckled. They couldn't help seeing Reid has a crush on Gideon's daughter.

"As much as I would love to hear it, Hotch and Gideon will be here for the briefing." JJ spoke up as the two men appeared and calling their teammates for the briefing.

* * *

"Pipe bombs." Morgan stated as they looked down all the pictures been scattered all over the table. "Packed in cardboard boxes."

"Package bombs." Hotch commented and looking at the pictures.

"Sent through the mail?" Novilene asks and observing the picture carefully. She may not have eidetic memory like Reid but Novilene is an excel on observations when it comes to pictures or drawings.

"No, the other picture in your hand is of the switch that ATF found. The same mechanism for both bombs, mercury-activated." Morgan explained.

"What does that mean?" Elle questioned.

"There are contacts to a detonator on either end of a bent tube full of mercury." Reid answered.

"What it means all you have to do is to tilt the package to detonate it." Morgan explained in simple answered, unlike Reid's scientific explanation.

"So they couldn't have been sent through the mail. The bomber had to deliver them by himself." Elle pointed out and Novilene couldn't help but agreed with her.

"Strange way to commit an act of terrorism. Why go to all this trouble to kill just a few people?" Hotch can't help but ask curiously.

"Let's recommend not raising the terror alert level for now. No reason to spread panic." Gideon spoke as JJ came into the briefing room with them.

"We got news." JJ turned on the television. "This is just the local news but the coverage is everywhere now- CNN, FOX, MSNBC, Al-Jazeera, you name it."

"So much for not spreading panic." Novilene spoke sarcastically and removing her glasses. "What's wrong with these people nowadays."

Just when Reid is about to answer but Novilene giving him a look that she was told by her father that he often saying about statistics. He closed his mouth giving her a sheepish looked while she smiled in appreciation.

 ** _"According to Doctors, he's badly injured, but in stable condition in the I.C.U."_** The news reporter, Rosalie Escobar, reported. **_"Now, neighbors say that they heard a blast at about 10:30 this morning, and police arrived..."_**

"If DHS doesn't raise the terror alert now, they'll look weak." Gideon pointed out the facts.

"Make sure the homeland security knows that this is everywhere." Hotch ordered the blonde woman unit liaison.

They jumped in surprise to see another bombing through the television with their shocked faces.

"Looks like we're going to Palm Beach. Let's meet at the airstrip at 20." Hotch ordered everyone.

Morgan noticed Novilene that she's in deep thought as he patted her shoulder to gain her senses back. She looked up to see Morgan staring at her in worried looked.

"You okay? It seems like you're thinking about something." Morgan spoke in a low tone as Novilene sighs quietly.

"I know what happened to my dad." Novilene whispered back and stared at him. "I just- we still have a tension between us and I'm worried about his well-being."

"How did you know?" He asked her in a surprised tone.

"I know some of my dad's secret despite we just reunited." She pushes her glasses up and standing up. "I just deserve an explanation of why he just ignores me right through his mouth not with someone else."

"You staying with him?"

"No, I stayed one of my friend's sister's house until all the paperwork is complete for moving in." She explained and hoping Ethan could find a safe place for her.

* * *

"Bombings occurred within 3 miles of each other." Hotch explained through his teammates while Novilene is busy doing an essay for her younger brother, Alex. "First victim was a 74-year-old widow, Barbara Keller. 2 hours after that, Clurman got hit in his driveway, and 45 minutes later... well, we all saw that. A 34-year-old housewife who lived across the street from Clurman. Of the 3, only Clurman survived."

"Was there any connection between the victims?" Reid asked curiously and seeing Novilene doing her younger brother an essay about what's special about him.

"One Clurman was a partner in a $10-million condo development deal in which Keller was an investor, and a few weeks ago, the whole deal went bust."

"Went bust how?" Elle asked curiously and admiring Nolivene's penmanship is neat and clean when she's writing an essay.

"Geologist discovered that the land was on methane, the condos never got built, the land became worthless, and Clurman lost a lot of people and a lot of money." Hotch answered.

"So maybe one of them was mad enough to take aim at Clurman." Reid suggested and Novilene shakes her head slightly.

"Which is why I despise doing the business course because it gives me a headache." Novilene spoke causing Elle to snort and bumping her shoulders lightly while she gave her a playful glare. "Let's not jump into conclusions yet. We need to analyze the motive."

"Then where do we start? Mini Gideon?" Elle asked the young woman.

"Mini Gideon, again? That's a second time you guys called me." Sighing heavily and Elle smirked. "We start from the beginning, Elle. It's like watching a movie from the very beginning to know the story all about."

"Novilene's right." Gideon agreed with his daughter then glancing at Reid. "What do we know about the bombers?" He asks.

"Mostly male, loners, history of criminal activity. About 50% of all bombings are actually a product of vandalism." Reid explained and often glancing at Novilene who didn't go unnoticed by Elle. She's wearing a smirk expression seeing the young man stared at Novilene often.

"And more often than not, bombers end up accidentally blowing themselves up, so the first suspects you always look for in the bombing case are the victims." Hotch pointed out.

"Clurman was the only male." Elle pointed out. "Losing a large business deal like that could be a powerful stressor."

"Well, then there's the crime scene." Gideon sighs quietly. "Clurman was the only victim who didn't get hit at his door. Why? What was different about this one?"

"There's a lot of Wh questions, in our head right now." Novilene muttered and smiled that she finished doing the essay. "Finally, all that's left is to scan and send it."

"Why are you making an essay for, Novilene?" Reid asks curiously and she hums in response.

"Well, I have a half younger brother, Alex, he's 16 years old." She smiled remembering the smile of her younger brother. "He has been told by his Professor to ask at least two family members to have an essay about what's so special about him with our signature on it."

"Who is the second one?" Elle asks curiously towards the young woman and looks surprised to hear she has a younger sibling.

"My stepbrother... Alex idolizes us so much and my brother would also do an essay about why you choose these people as a role model." She places her papers back inside of her messenger back.

Gideon smiled at his daughter that she became a great sister towards Alex. He remembered how Alex is always calm when Novilene held him in her arms back when they were children. Alex loves his sister deeply and their bond is always strong that no one could tear them apart.

 **||Palm Beach, Florida||**

"Before Clurman passed out, all he told the cops at the time was that- he saw the package sitting on the stoop outside his kitchen door." Hotch explained as they're at the crime scene to look for more clues.

"Why didn't he take it in?" Elle asks curiously.

"Why didn't it go off until he got to his car? It's like 50 feet away." Reid pointed out and Novilene shrugged having no clue.

"Joe Reese, one of Clurman's investors, was here before the bomb went off." Novilene explained glancing at her surroundings. "The cops have ruled him out as a suspect, but he said he was Clurman get in the car with the package."

"So maybe Clurman wasn't receiving a bomb at all. Maybe he was on his way to deliver one." Elle pointed out her opinions.

"But he drops it or tilts it, and it goes off by accident." Reid added.

"I'd like to talk to Clurman." Gideon spoke up as she stared at him with a blank expression. "In the meantime, let's get a warrant to search his house." He went on ahead as Novilene catching him up.

"Dad, wait!" Gideon stopped and glancing at her. "Are you alright?" She asks worriedly about his well-being.

"I am, Mulan." He smiled slightly at her and appreciating her caring when she's trying to catch up the time they lost seeing each other. "I'll be fine."

"Your eyes say otherwise, dad." She smiled sadly and Gideon wasn't surprised if his daughter could read him often, no matter how much he hides from her. There is one thing he hates most and it eats him inside, he keeps a dark secret from Novilene and hoping that she could forgive him for keeping it to her. "I'm here for you."

* * *

"What can you tell us about the package, Mr Clurman?" Gideon asks Clurman who got himself survived the bomb explosion but losing his left leg forever.

Gideon, Reid and Novilene are interviewing Mr Clurman about the bomb incident as the young woman who can't help but feel sympathy towards him seeing losing a leg.

"I thought that I knew what it was." Mr Clurman spoke in his weak tone. "Pot for an orchid, I collect them. I ordered the pot through the mail."

"Why didn't you take it inside?" Novilene asks in a soft tone.

"It was for my office. I was going there anyway. Thought I'd take it with me. That's the last thing I remember." He answered and his body is filled in pain by the explosion.

"You had an argument with Joe Reese." Gideon pointed out. "Do you remember that?"

"Joe was here?"

"He was angry, he accused you of blowin' him off."

"Uh..."

"Any reason he'd want to hurt you?"

"Joe? No. I mean, he's a confrontational guy, if he wanted to kill me, he'd just beat me to death." He cringed in pain.

"A lot of people were angry about that deal falling apart, and they were angry at you. How did that make you feel?"

"I felt awful. I thought those condos would make a lot of money for a lot of people, myself included, I thought that geologist was legit. He didn't even take samples. He scammed us. All those investors who lost their money... Barbara. "

"Barbara Keller?"

"The first victim."

"What about her?"

"It's such a shame. Such a nice lady, you know? It was such an easy sell. Sometimes I felt like I took advantage of her because she was old and lonely. Now she's dead. Well... I feel terrible- ow!"

"What is it?"

"Ah, my foot."

"I'll get you something." Novilene spoke up and getting out of the room to call one of the Doctors.

After she informs the Doctor, Novilene leans on the table and sighs heavily. She couldn't bear seeing someone get hurt because of being one of the victims of their madness.

"Novilene." She hums in response and turning around to see Reid and Gideon are staring at her with a worried expression. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I just hate to see someone getting hurt. Have you inform Hotch that Mr Clurman is not our bomb profiler?" Novilene asks curiously.

"I did, our work here is done. Let's head back." Gideon told the two younger people as they left the hospital.

* * *

"Morgan emailed these over. The three on the left are the bombs from yesterday. The one on the right's from the evidence room at Quantico." Hotch explained to everyone as Novilene stared at the pictures from the laptop.

"They are all identical." Reid spoke bluntly. "They are made with steel reinforcement rods."

"Adrian Bale." Novilene furrowed her eyebrows when Gideon spoke the person's name.

"Who?" Detective Morrison, one of the Palm Beach PD asks.

"He held our Agents standoff in Boston last year. He took out 6 Agents and a hostage with one of his bombs." Hotch explained to Detective Morrison while Novilene stared at the picture with a cold calculative look.

"So you're thinking he's behind this?" Elle asks him.

"Possibly, but he's in prison. He's got kind of a cult following, almost like Charles Manson." Reid pointed out and Novilene shakes her head slightly.

"Bale **might** be involved in this case but this Unsub is a copycat, I'm sure of it." Novilene questioned them out loud and everyone stared at her when she handed the water bottle towards her father. "I may not know the full story about your Agents... this Unsub thinks of Bale as a role model to him."

"There's one way to find out. Let's put the screws to this guy." Detective Morrison declared and stared at her. "How on earth did you figure it out? What are you? Some kind of psychic?" He asks sarcastically as she responds in a shrugged. Her other teammates starting to trust her theory because of what she trusted them.

"No, no, no. Bale's too smart." Gideon hated the idea of Detective Morrison's opinion. "If we want information from him, we have to handle him carefully. Even then you have to assume that road will lead nowhere."

"You're saying the connection to Bale doesn't help us at all?" He asks then staring at the young woman.

"No. I'm just saying let us handle Bale."

"Look, we just heard from local Texas P.D. You were right about Clurman's nephew. He admitted the bomb stuff was his, which is great for the Clurman's, but it leaves us with zero suspects. So what do you suggest my men do now?"

"Proceed from the profile."

"I didn't know we had a profile."

"You do now." Novilene muttered and Elle holds back her snort hearing her blunt answer.

Everyone started to have a meeting leaving Gideon and Hotch to explained everything about their profiler.

"We're dealing with a bomber. We're talking about someone who's non-confrontational. If you bumped into him in a cafe, he'd apologize. Even if it wasn't his fault." Gideon explained.

"We would classify this bomber as highly organized, based on the meticulous design of his bombs. It means above-average intelligence. He probably has a skilled job, a trade, one that allows him to work alone. That's how he was able to make a sophisticated device without raising suspicion. Furniture maker, jeweler, et cetera."

"Background in explosives?" Detective Morrison asks.

"No, not necessarily." Novilene intervened and everyone stared at her when she's sitting between Reid and Elle. "You're thinking about a type who likes to blow things up. Gives them an emotional or sexual release. That's secondary." She sips her water and Gideon stared at his daughter with a proud look on his face.

"Then what's this guy doing?" One of the Policemen officers asks.

"Murdering." Gideon answered. "Bombs- just weapons. And their attacks, they are not random."

"Well, how do you know that?"

"The process of elimination." Novilene answered and pushing her glasses up. "We know bombers fall into a discrete number of categories according to motive. There's the terrorist whose aim is to spread fear. We'd expect him to strike in a populous area like a subway."

"There's the politically motivated bomber." Hotch added and sending Novilene a surprised look. Not expecting this young woman could know about this. He also heard rumors of her being acquaintance with Sherlock Holmes. "He makes a statement by choosing a symbolic target like an abortion clinic. Then there's our unsub. He made bombs designed to kill and he chose his victims specifically by placing the bombs at their stoops. That tells us he has a direct motive. Statistically, he bombs for profit or to conceal a crime. And it tells us how we're going to find him- through the people he killed."

"Somewhere among the three victims, there is a direct motive." Gideon added and stared at everyone. "Keep digging."

"Thanks. Any questions, we'll be around."

"You'll be around. Novilene and I will be in prison. Somebody's got to talk to Bale." He told the Unit Chief and Novilene blinks her eyes hearing her father seek her help by interrogating Bale.

"Why do you need me for dad?" Novilene stands up and approaching them. "I can stay here and help them."

"You analyze the problem so quickly before none of us could figure it out." Just when she's about to protest, Gideon gave her a look. "Denied all you want and I'm not the only person who could see your unique potential."

"If you insist, sir." Knowing it's futile to deny her potentials and Hotch smirked seeing Novilene with her distressed look.

 **U.S. Penitentiary** **|| Atlanta, Georgia ||**

"You know why I am here?" Gideon questioned the man who murdered the 6 Agents.

"This guy in Palm Beach, right?" Bale asks and Novilene stared at him in her cold calculative look. "The Palm Beach bomber. Somebody's got to give him a better name."

"He uses your bombs, your designs."

"Well, he should be careful. Those things are dangerous." He glances seeing the young woman has the same eyes of Gideon. "I didn't expect to bring your kid in here as your bonding father and daughter trip." Novilene narrowed her eyes and decided to keep her mouth shut.

"Adrian..." Gideon gave him the warning tone for checking his daughter out. "You can't fool me. If you're involved in this in any way and you do not help me, I will make your life even worse than it is now."

"Oh, but no, actually, I can fool you because I fooled you before." He spoke bluntly and glances at her. "And now there's another me out there, watching, waiting. Does your daddy dearest told you about his incident before?"

"Bale..."

"He trusted me." He ignored Gideon and trying to test his daughter's reaction. "You know what happened next? I killed six Agents including the hostages, your father is a fool."

"You're the one who ends up being the fool to get caught and staying here in prison." Novilene spoke in her cold tone as Bale flinches in fear seeing her cold demeanor. Bale couldn't help but feel uneasy that she's a different person and nothing like her father.

"You were more ruthless than I expected." Gideon spoke up and mentally smirked seeing Bale has the fear of his daughter. "If you hadn't pushed that button, you might've had a chance to parole someday."

"Yeah." Bale pretends to agree with Gideon's opinion. "You know, I've thought a lot about that day, and there's one thing I still can't understand." He stared at Gideon's face. "You trusted me. Why?"

"I never trusted you." Gideon lied and Novilene can tell it no matter how much you're a good liar. She can immediately tell them because of having a human lie detector like herself.

"You listened to me."

"I made an error. I calculated you wouldn't do it, and you did. Whatever you think, I'm gonna walk outta here, and you never will."

Blake sniff and turning his body to face them. "Here's what I think. Sending those Agents into that warehouse, it just doesn't make sense. I mean, I've read your books. I had all those things- what did you call it? Um... a homicidal triad." He chuckled. "I even came from a broken family, classic sociopath, so when I had the chance to kill 6 Agents plus a hostage, I mean, just because I gave myself up doesn't mean that I was finished with those people. I still had the remote. You... you should've known that. And the emotional release I would feel by pressing that button... well, that was just a little too overwhelming to pass up. Why didn't you search me before sending those Agents in? Why didn't you do your job, Agent Gideon?"

Novilene leaves the interrogation room without her father. She already has the answers to what the young woman is thinking. She sighs and calming herself down before going to snapped someone because her patience is running thin.

"Hey." Novilene jumped in surprised and sighs in relief it was Reid who called her. "You okay? It seems like you wanted to release your hatred at someone."

"Bale is just getting on my nerves, other than that... I'll be fine." Novilene answers and sighs heavily. "Bale is involved but somehow he's going to inform the Unsub about this... dad might think of his opinion otherwise."

"I thought Gideon agreed with your opinion." He stared at her in confusion.

"There are a few things that we had in disagreement often. There's a lot of things that you need to know that dad and I have a different perspective for several reasons... our bonding is a bit strain because he often pushes people away like me for instance." She smiled sadly at him.

"I'm sure your dad will come around."

Just when Novilene is about to answer that Gideon came out and staring at the two young Agents. "Bale might be part of this, but he's not in control. If he were, he would've taunted me with specifics." Novilene sending Reid a look that she's right for having a different perspective.

 ** _"So what's our next move?"_** They could hear Hotch's voice through Gideon's phone.

"I let Bale know the Unsub's using his designs."

 ** _"Bait."_**

"Yeah, exactly. If Bale wasn't part of it before, he'll surely want to be part of it now." He ends the call.

"I'm gonna stay behind and monitor his mail, calls, visitors, any contact that he has with the outside world." Reid volunteered while Novilene pushes her glasses up. Debating whether she could help him or not.

"Good. Even if he doesn't know the Unsub, he may want to try to contact him." Gideon agreed with his opinion.

"Dad, I'll stay with Reid as well." Novilene decided to join Reid as well. "Two heads are better than one."

"I'll leave you guys to it." He leaves them alone.

* * *

 ** _"Office of the supreme genius puzzle solver. Do you have a riddle for me?"_** Garcia asks through Novilene's phone.

Novilene and Reid found out that Bale is accessing the internet and both of them decided to seek help from the tech analyst.

"We found out Bale has been accessing the internet by getting around a firewall that's set up on a prison library computer. The guy even has an email address." Novilene explained to Garcia.

 ** _"Wow. Sneaky bastard."_** Garcia commented.

"Yeah. He's headed for the library right now, maybe to contact the Unsub. Is there a way to possibly monitor his keystrokes while he's online?" She asks curiously.

 ** _"I can send him a virus, but he'll have to open the email for it to work."_**

"Let's do it." She smirked at Garcia's idea.

 ** _"What do you want in the subject line? Mini Gideon?"_**

"You guys seriously need to stop calling me mini Gideon." She groaned and Reid smiled sheepishly at her knowing that nickname will not go away. "Hmm... now that's the hard question, love." Novilene scratching her forehead slightly.

 ** _"Something that'll make him open it. Did I mention how much I love your accent? How long have you stayed in London again, mini Gideon?"_**

"5 years, Garcia. Spen, any ideas what'll make Bale grab his attention?" She asks Reid through her British accent.

"He's impotent." Reid answered for her. "Something that'll make him feel in control."

"Now that I'm thinking about it." She shivered in disgust and wanted to punch Bale's face for checking her out. "I just wanted to punch him in the face. Garcia... I hate to say it but this guy is a lecherous pervert that makes him turn on by watching a porn site."

 ** _"Wow, wait- did he check you out?"_** Garcia questioned the young woman and Reid blinks his eyes in disbelief.

"Yeah, Bale fears me the moment he saw my cold calculating look." Novilene answered and leaning on the wall.

 ** _"I guess he knows not to mess up with you."_** Garcia chuckled and glad that she's not in the same position as Bale. **_"Now this guy's number. He's visited 6 porn sites in the past half hour."_** After she hacks into Bale's email.

"Gross." She cringed and shuddering then passing the phone to Reid. "I don't want to know about it, by the way... you're on speaker."

 ** _"Hold on. He's posting to a message on board._** **' .'** ** _Looks like some sort of site for bomb enthusiasts._** **'To all my friends out there, beware. They are onto you... especially that FBI young light-brown haired woman.'** ** _I didn't know you could be so scary person, mini Gideon."_**

"Hmm... why am I not surprised." Reid stared at her with a curious expression. "I'm more ruthless when it comes to these criminals, Spen. You don't want to know."

"Okay." Reid agreed and seeing Novilene's serious expression. He didn't expect the kind and caring woman could be ruthless when it comes to criminals. "Garcia, we need the names of everyone who's been on that message board in the past month."

 ** _"Okay."_**

* * *

Reid and Novilene are scheming through the papers been sent by Garcia as Reid decided to inform Gideon about their research so far.

"186 emails. Through the ISPS, we were able to track down the names and some of the addresses, but none of them were in Palm Beach." Reid explained to his mentor and watching Novilene is reading the papers.

 ** _"How about occupations?"_** Gideon asks the young man.

"It wasn't a required field, so really, only about 1/3 filled it in."

 ** _"Well, the Unsub takes pride in his work. He would fill it in."_**

"Right. Let's see. We have a trucker, physician, antiquities, dealer, store owner, orderly..."

 ** _"Wait. Antiquities dealer?"_**

"Yeah, why, what is it?" Novilene looked up and stared Reid in a curious expression.

 ** _"Ask Novilene's if she has any ideas about the antiquities dealer."_** He ends up their conversation.

Novilene tapping her pen when she read the papers in deep thought as Reid takes a seat next to her. She stops tapping and stared at him with a skeptical look.

"Gideon told me if you have any ideas of the antiquities dealer." Reid spoke up and staring at her dark brown eyes.

"David Walker..." She read the paper and gaped silently in surprised. "Of course, it's him all along." Novilene immediately tried to call Hotch ignoring Reid's confusion look been sending to her.

"What do you mean?" He asks in confusion and wondering how did Walker is the Unsub for this.

"David Walker collect the coins and use it to build up the metal-"

 ** _"Hotch, what do you got Cruz?"_** He asks the young woman right after 2 rings from his cellphone.

"Hotch, it's David Walker all along." She answered and staring at Reid. "He's our copycat and forging the same bomb as Bale."

 ** _"Elle's in trouble... I'll call you back."_** He ends up the call before she had a chance to explain.

"What makes him the Unsub, Novilene?" Reid questioned

"He's using the coins to increase the value of the bombs that almost look identical to Bale's bomb." She answered and sighs heavily then laying her head down on the table. "Let's hope and pray that they manage to capture him before he's going to hurt innocent people." Her phone beeps to see Sherlock's name pop on screen.

 ** _From: Sherlock_**

 ** _Don't get fooled by Bale._**

"What the heck?" Novilene muttered and Reid is looking at her. "Why do I have a feeling he's going to meddling our job?" She scowled and turning off her phone.

"Who?"

"Sherlock stupid Holmes."

* * *

Reid and Novilene got nothing to do inPenitentiary as they were about to head back to the Palm Beach. Novilene's phone ringing as she accepts the call from her father.

"Cruz here."

 ** _"Novilene are you still at the Penitentiary?"_** Gideon questioned his daughter

"Yes, Reid and I were just about to leave why?" She grasps Reid's hand to stop him.

 ** _"Walker is dead and the hostage has the bomb on his body."_** Gasping in surprise to hear the news.

"Bale knew that if Walker was going to get arrest... Walker will kill himself and no one will help to diffuse the bomb." Novilene explained and staring at Reid with a worried expression. "Only Bale himself could stop it."

 ** _"Exactly, any ideas why? You're the only person who could see a dangerous motive."_**

"Not until I'm going to see Bale in person and we're going to bring him in Palm Beach immediately." She ends up the call and sighs heavily. "Walker is dead."

"We're going to bring him to Palm Beach?" He asks the young woman and nodded her head.

"I have a feeling that Bale has something on his sleeve." She frowned and squeezing Reid's arm accidentally. "I hate that guy for taunting my father."

"Hey." Reid squeezed her hand back. She couldn't help but noticed that her hands are small and warm. "Everything will be working out, let's ask the officer to transfer Bale to Palm Beach."

"Yeah." She smiled weakly and shaking her head slightly. "Sorry, Reid. I could be a bit emotional often."

"It's fine, there's nothing to apologize off... shall we?" Her phones beep again and reading the message. "WHAT!?" She screamed and dropping her phone.

Reid caught her phone before it could do anything to damage. "Well, well, well, wasn't expecting that I'm here? Cruz?" He turned around to see a man black suit and his unruly curly hair. What makes him feel intimidated is his cold blue eyes gazing at his brown eyes.

"Sherlock!" She exclaimed with a hint of an annoyed tone. "For the love of- I don't have time for this... what's your plan?"

Sherlock is rolling his eyes and wasn't surprised by her outburst. "I did digging information regarding his bombs and I know how to diffuse it."

"By digging you mean your network." Narrowing his cold blue eyes and glancing at Reid. "Sherlock has a lot of connections and he has eyes or ears everywhere." Crossing her arms while looking annoyed at Sherlock more.

"He can save us!" Reid exclaimed and wasn't expecting to see Sherlock in the flesh.

Sherlock huffs angrily and looking at Reid with an annoyed expression. "What's wrong with-"

"Once we diffuse the bomb. We need to disassemble it and replace something." Novilene interrupts Sherlock before he could bite Reid's head off. "We need to see his reaction. To confess he's involved to Walker for bombing the civilians."

* * *

Sherlock diffused the bomb quickly and disassemble it to replace the explosive ones. Novilene's plan is to bait Bale and pretending they didn't know to diffuse it. She wants him to see his reaction and everyone agreed to it.

Novilene stared at Bale with her blank expression and trying to read his body language. Gideon paced back and forth to Bale and his female lawyer.

"We'll start with a transfer. You're in a high-security facility now." Gideon told Bale in a blunt tone.

"No, I want out of prison." Bale denied the idea of transferring another prison while he placed both of his hands on his face. Novilene can't help but feel suspicious about his intentions about this. "A mental facility."

"You're asking for something we wouldn't give a bank robber." Hotch pointed out and Novilene couldn't help but agree with him. "There are minimum security prisons-"

"I don't care. I want to be able to talk to people who aren't prisoners. I want to have access... to people, things, the world." He grasps his hands together. "I want to connect again." Bale tried to deal with them but it'll be hard to convince especially the young woman sitting right next to the Unit Chief who's analyzing him in her cold calculative look.

"All right." Gideon accepts his offer.

"One more thing." Bale wasn't finished his deal with them. "Without which there is no deal."

"What is it?"

"I want you to confess." Novilene narrowed her eyes at Bale that could boil her blood in hatred towards him. "I want you to admit that I beat you in Boston and I outsmarted you. I want you to apologize to the families of those 6 victims you got killed and I want it all in writing."

Novilene closing her eyes while shaking her head slightly. "Dad, don't do this." She mumbled as Hotch can't help but agreed with her. "You're better than this."

"If I do this, you'll tell me how to defuse the bomb?" Gideon ignored the plead of his daughter and Hotch.

"Only if you do this." Bale answered and mentally smirked that his plan going to be succeeded soon.

"How do I know you won't lie to me?" He narrowed his eyes at me and seeing Novilene didn't believe what Bale's promised.

"It's all in writing, Agent Gideon." Bale's Lawyer intervened in their conversations. "If my client refuses to give you the information or if he gives you information, he knows to be untruthful, the deal is void."

Novilene closing her eyes and hearing the scribbling paper knowing Gideon's writing of his mistakes from 6 months ago. Exhaling quietly and open her eyes to stare at Bale with her blank expression.

Gideon stopped writing the paper and started to read it. "It was a hostage situation-"

"No." Bale interrupted Gideon's speech and Novilene's blood boil in angry wanting to shoot this guy by using her gun. "Don't read it, say it."

"It was a hostage situation, I negotiated with Bale." He sighs sadly and knowing he can't hide the truth of his daughter about this. "He agreed to give himself up and came out of the warehouse peacefully. I gave the okay to send 6 of my Agents in and they never came out." Novilene leaned over Gideon and placing her hands on his, letting him know that she's always been there for him. "It was a mistake- it was my mistake." He stands up, removing her hands gently and meeting his eyes at Bale's direction. "I was- I was outfoxed by Mr Bale. By you- I sincerely regret having made the decision to send those Agents on that day and I sincerely regret and apologize to the families of all those who died that day."

Bale's smirked in the satisfaction that he gets what he wants as everyone gathered inside the room while watching the man, Cole, will diffuse the bomb.

 ** _"Okay."_** Cole spoke up through the walkie-talkie. **_"I've isolated the wires connected to the actual device. We've got one shot at this, it's either blue wire or red wire."_**

Gideon turned his face to stared at Bale's face. "Which do we cut, Bale?" He asks and wanting to defuse the bomb as soon as possible since they only have 3 minutes left. "Red or blue."

"Red." Bale answered in a confident tone. Novilene and Gideon stared at each other silently because Bale is lying to them and he wanted to kill everyone inside of this station for his emotional release.

"You know if you're lying, this goes boom, you get nothing, right?" He questioned Bale.

"Yes."

"If we cut the red, it's over. You get to spend your time in a cushy asylum, bushes, trees, visits, nurses and we get this man out of here alive."

"I don't see how I could be any clearer." In a blunt tone and Novilene smirked in her cold expression that brings Bale shaking in fear slightly by staring at her.

"Red wire, is it?" The young woman asks in a calm tone but her cold expression says otherwise.

"Yes." He lied again in front of her. Bale could tell that this young woman can see his lies. He wanted to kill right in front of Gideon seeing her dead.

"I forgot to mention that I am a human lie detector, Bale." She chuckling coldly and stared at Bale in hatred. "Sorry to break your moment but we have a friend to diffuse it quicker than you." Raising her hands to reveal Sherlock Holmes with a smirk on his face.

"You people are slower than a snail. Easily get caught and leaving a trace to chase you." Sherlock commented bluntly, seeing Bale is fuming in anger to him and Novilene. "You can do better than that, fatty."

Bale is yelling angrily and tries to choke Novilene's neck but she squats down, sweeping her legs towards his to bring him down. Grabbing her gun and pointed to Bale's head with a cold look and unlocking her gun. He froze and didn't know what to do. One move and she could pull the trigger without any mercy. "Your sentence is going to extend and you always belong in jail to a criminal like you." She spoke in a cold tone and couldn't care less whether they heard her or not.

* * *

Novilene is trying to calm herself down but she didn't. Losing many times how Sherlock manages to intervene in the case to do as he please, depending on the case rate. Ever since she's befriending Sherlock, Novilene is trying to have patience on her but sometimes she snapped. Never bother they have an audience to watch their argument.

"Desperate to get back solving crimes, hmm?" Sherlock teased Novilene and she's fuming angrily. "Time for myself- Ow!"

Novilene pulled his ears and ignoring whines. "You made a promise that you're not going to meddling the case. What happened to it? You broke it and flew all the way here from London." She couldn't even care whether to embarrass Sherlock in front of everyone or not. Novilene is way beyond angry and almost forgetting her surroundings.

"You- ow! I cross the fingers behind my back!" He tried to push Novilene but she pinches it harder. "Ow! Unhand me, Amazonian!"

Morgan cringed and feels sorry for Sherlock. Base on their body language, they have done it before. "Man, I hate to be in his shoes." Muttering and Elle couldn't help but nodded her head.

"Which part of don't get involve in the case, do you understand?" Novilene lets go of his ear and he hissed while rubbing it. "I'm not even surprised if you use Mycroft's account or ID to get in here."

"You know me very well, clever girl." He smirked and tried to whack her head but she dodges it. "Twinkle toes." Glaring at her and she glared back.

"Bamboo stick!" She sighs heavily and rubbing her temple. "How did you know of this case? You know what? Don't answer it cause I know."

"How?" Reid asks her curiously and Novilene gives Sherlock a look to keep his mouth shut.

Sherlock looks annoyed but obeyed knowing she would do more than pulling his ears. "Ever since I move out, Sherlock asks his brother, Mycroft, to see my condition. By condition means monitoring my every move, work, and lifestyle. Hence the reason why he knows my case."

"Except." He smirked widely. "My dear, Mycroft is getting slow on his age. In five minutes, he would notice his ID is with me." Sherlock pointed out and Novilene scowled more. "Smile, you're going to get early wrinkles." Morgan and Elle snickered by their bickering.

"Ugh!" Novilene punches his arm and he yelped in pain. "Anyway, thank you for diffusing the bomb."

"We would like to know how did you diffuse the bomb." Hotch spoke up and looking at Sherlock with an intense look on his face.

Sherlock grins like a Cheshire cat while Novilene is twitching her right eyebrow. "It piques my interest in your case since 6 months ago regarding Bale's bomb." He spoke up.

"Sherlock." Novilene gives him a warning look but he waves it off.

"Despite cutting off your contacts to each other, your daughter dearest... is monitoring you often to see how well you are." Sherlock spoke up and Novilene is glaring at him. "Isn't it fascinating-"

"Get to the point, Sherlock." Novilene cuts him off before she could shoot him.

"I pretended that I'm a fan of his bomb and asks him how to make his creative explosion." He ignored disbelief looks from them except Novilene, who remains a blank look. "He's stupid enough to tell me everything about his boring bomb."

"How did you know where he's involved to Walker?" Morgan asks him and wasn't expecting all rumors are true regarding Sherlock's analysis. He's more than a high functioning sociopath but a clever man to solve quickly in a blink of an eye. Behind his coldness and dark humor, everyone could tell Sherlock cares for Novilene deeply as a sister.

"God, what it like in your funny little brains, it must be so-"

"Sherlock!" Novilene didn't hesitate to whack his head again. "For goodness sake! Can't you just stop being a jerk for once?" She asks him with a frustrated look on her face.

Sherlock groaned and going to be nice for her sake. "Walker's job is to collect valuable objects. He was obsessed with Bane and became his follower. Based on their chit-chat, he wanted to make Bane proud of him to kill innocent people by using his bombs. Happy now?" Giving Novilene a pointed look and she nodded her head.

Novilene's phone beeps and looking at her screen. She smirked and wasn't surprised by Sherlock's brother is getting slow to his unpredictable move. "Sherlock, you got a plane to catch soon. If you failed to ride on it, you're going to face the consequences of barging our case."

"You're welcome by the way." He smirked and turned his back on them. "It's fun while it lasted. Dear, do me a favor and quit the job, join me." Starting to walk away without waiting for Novilene's reply.

"Nah, I need a break from your reckless nature, Holmes!" Novilene answered and clearly glad to see him again.

"Wow... who knew your friend is overdramatic." Elle commented sarcastically and Novilene shrugged her shoulders. "Where did you met him?"

"We went to the same University together and he drives me mad." She chuckles and pushing her glasses up. "I'm glad to see him again."

"To think you're going to pull his ear off." Morgan spoke up and cringed. "Remind me not to get on your bad side?"

"I occasionally do that to Sherlock whenever he pulls that stunt for instance." Novilene quickly checks on Sherlock's GPS to see whether he's going to the airport. "He's used to my abusive attack for not listening to my advice. Sherlock asked for it."

"He cares for you, Novilene." Gideon spoke up and patted her shoulder. "Sherlock treats you as a sister despite he denied it very much."

"Sherlock hates showing affection and hence the reason why he loves to annoy anyone." Novilene spoke up and remembering Sherlock's rare moments with her. "We should head back now since the case is closed."

Sherlock appearing out of nowhere to see her and help their case. Novilene is pleased to see him in good condition despite she can be a bit mother-hen to Sherlock.


	6. Chapter 4 Plain Sight (Episode 4)

**_It's been four weeks since I've been working in the BAU. As I made a promise to Reid to work with them in two weeks whether to join them or not, I begin to enjoy our work. I'm starting to get along with the team easily. As for my dad? We're building up our relationship as we use to._**

 ** _These guys remind me off my former IMF teammates. They give me a warm welcome unlike my previous job because they're annoyed at me. Speaking of IMF, I missed my old teammates so much especially Benji's sense of humor._**

 ** _Of all the BAU teams I get along with is Reid because there's something in him- makes me want to know more about him. It's his awkward and kindness that makes me feel at ease around him. I've never felt this way before ever since my former lover, Zack, passed away.~ Novilene Cruz_**

* * *

Novilene smiled in satisfaction and placing the cake right in front of him with the trick candles. Today is Reid's birthday and turning 24 years old while she's going to turn into 23 soon on Christmas Day with her dead twin sister, Angelique.

"Make a wish, Spen. I worked so hard to baked this cake just for you." Novilene spoke proudly as Reid smiled shyly.

"I didn't know you can bake well, mini Gideon." Morgan commented and shaking his head slightly. "What are the things that you don't know?" He couldn't wait to try her homemade cake.

"Umm..." She blushed slightly and coughs then looking away from Morgan. "I'm going to pretend that I didn't hear that."

"You do!" He exclaimed happily that he's discovering new things about her and Reid chuckled at their banter acting like children.

"Psh! No, I don't!" She glared at Morgan and ignoring the fact her face is red like a tomato while he smirked widely like a Cheshire cat.

"Morgan, leave Novy alone." JJ scolded the older man and smacking his shoulder lightly. "Make a wish." She told the birthday man.

Reid blew the candles, however, the fire won't stop as Morgan decided to tease him. "Come on man! Blow, baby blow!"

"I thought you were full of hot air Reid." Elle commented as Novilene giggled seeing Reid still blowing.

"You can do it, Spen." Novilene encourages him and smiling while Morgan wiggling his eyebrows at her. Seeing the light brown-haired woman gazes at the young Doctor.

"They're trick candles, Spence, okay? They gonna come back on every time." JJ explained the young Doctor.

"Oh, mommy to rescue you!" Morgan teased Reid as he pulls the birthday hat down on Reid's head.

"Mommy?" Spencer asks in a confused tone.

"Here." Novilene handed him a nicely wrapped blue gift to Reid. "I hope you like it."

"What do you know? Reid's gift wrapper matches your outfit, mini Gideon." Morgan commented with a smirk as Elle can tell that Reid is having a huge crush on Gideon's daughter, Novilene.

"You really should stop teasing me, Der." Novilene spoke and sighs heavily. "What have I ever done to you?" She asks and pouts slightly like a puppy.

"Probably you're easy to tease, mini Gideon." She rolled her eyes and smiled at him.

"Happy birthday, Spen." Novilene hugs Reid behind his back as he immediately relaxes at her touch. "I hope you like chocolate since I don't know what your favorite cake is." She lets go of him and helping the two women to remove the trick candles.

"I-uh-I do, Lenny." Novilene blinks her eyes in surprised hearing a new nickname coming from Reid's mouth. "You, okay?" He asks her worriedly seeing her look.

"Yeah, you're the only person who called me that." She smiled and Reid decided to approached Gideon who's watching him with an amused expression.

"You having fun?" Gideon asks the birthday man and glanced at Novilene cutting a slice of cake for Reid.

"Yes, definitely. I'm definitely having fun." Reid answered sarcastically and often looking at Novilene discreetly.

"Make a wish?" He questioned him with a smirk on his face.

"Can I take this hat off?" Reid stared at the ridiculous birthday hat on his head.

"I wouldn't." He shakes his head slightly then smiled. "Before I disappeared from Novilene's life for 2 years. I always attend her birthday party and dancing with her debut party of becoming an adult."

"Debut party?" He asks curiously and staring at her in a loving expression.

"When the girl turns 18, she's becoming an adult. 18 roses dancing with the boys and 18 candles with the girls saying birthday message to her." He explained and stared at him. "That's how Filipino traditions look like when it comes to girls and before her debut... she's going to have a photo-shoot before her birthday."

"Does Zack was there with her?" He asks in a low tone and Gideon blinks in a surprised expression. "Lenny- I mean, Novilene told me she had a boyfriend died a year and a half."

"Yeah, Zack knew Novilene when she was 10 years old while he was 13 years old, they met each other back in Elementary School. Later on, when Novilene turned 14, they started dating." He explained and smiling at him sadly. "It's not in my position to say how Zack died. I can tell that she's moving on and ready to have a relationship with someone who accepts her everything."

"Hey, Spen." They turned around to see Novilene is holding the slice of the cake with fork. "First piece for the birthday boy." She smiled at them.

Reid smiled and turned back to face Gideon in a curious expression. "Do you know she's the only person in the whole world calls me **'Spen'**?" He chuckled.

"Why don't you ask Mulan and she'll answer it." He smirked seeing Reid's face flushed.

"I-I- don't know." He stuttered in response

"It won't hurt to try." He smirked as Reid approached Novilene and thanking her for the cake.

"Hmm! This cake is delicious, Cruz. You didn't put too much sweet but it's the right amount." Elle complimented her baking skills. "How old were you started to learn how to bake?"

"My grandmother, I always call her Ma... taught me how to bake and cook when I was 8 years old." Novilene answered and smiling sheepishly at her. "Ma taught me how to bake and cook because she wanted me to learn independently."

"You did a good job, mini Gideon." Morgan compliments her baking skills. "Maybe you're going to bring your cooking sample and we're going to judge it."

"I would love that." Novilene smiles. "I wanted someone to tell my cooking rather than eating it myself. I just love to hear other's opinions regarding my cook."

"You're going to be a great wife someday, Novy." JJ spoke up and she laughs nervously the idea of her getting married now.

"Yeah, not now for the moment. I'm still looking for a guy who's going to accept the whole me not for the looks." Novilene explained and missing the way Elle is giving a look to Reid which he blushed in response.

"Sorry, guys, the party's over." Hotch told them after he received a call from San Diego.

* * *

"We're going to San Diego." Hotch announced as Novilene spinning the pen using her pen then a realization hit her. There could be a possibility she's going to see Zack's older brother working as a Cop.

"Not for surfing, huh?" Morgan asks sarcastically at Hotch.

"They're calling him the Tommy Killer." JJ answered and ignored Morgan's sarcastic remark.

"6 women raped and murdered in their homes in the last 3 weeks." Hotch explained to his team.

"6 in 3 weeks?" Elle asks in a disbelief tone.

"That's a short fuse." Gideon commented.

"And getting shorter. The first 2 were 8 days apart then the next 4 in 2 weeks." Hotch pointed out and Novilene's mind wanders thinking about the Unsub killer.

"Rapid escalation. Do you think he's regressing into a psychopathic frenzy?" Reid asks curiously.

"No, he's too controlled for that. See you on the plane." Just when Hotch is about to leave the briefing room.

"Why the Tommy Killer?" Morgan asks when he observes the pictures.

"You know the rock opera? This Unsub glues the victim's eyes wide open." He left.

"He wants them to see him." Novilene commented and stared at the pictures in her usual cold look.

"And feel him." Gideon added.

* * *

 **|| San Diego, California ||**

"Brenda Samms was found yesterday by her children when they got home from school." Hotch explained to his plane inside of their private jet. "She had been strangled with a thin ligature, possibly a wire."

The entire team decided to fly over to San Diego as Novilene didn't expect that Reid is going to spend his birthday in this case. Reid hasn't open Novilene's gift yet and decided to open it after the case.

"No weapon left at the scene." Elle pointed out.

"Residue on the wrist and mouth indicate that duct tape was used and then removed." Reid explained when he observed the pictures the same as Novilene.

"Also not found at the scene." Hotch commented.

"Brought it with him, took it with him." Novilene commented.

"He also started leaving messages in the fourth scene. This was on the mirrors." He showed it to Elle and Novilene then starting to read it. " **'Fair lady, throw those costly robes aside. No longer may you glory in your pride. Take leave of all your canal, vain delight.'-** " He was cut off by someone.

" **'I've come to summon you away this night.'** " Reid finished the thought then noticed a strange look excluding Novilene to him.

"Is it a Ballad from the late 1700's or 1600's?" Novilene asks Reid in a curious tone.

"1600's, Lenny, a dialogue betwixt death and a lady." He answered.

"A 17th-century Ballad?" Elle asks in a surprised tone.

"Essentially, a woman begging death to live."

"What kind of person knows this Ballad? Are we looking for a Literature Professor?" Looking at them with a disbelief expression on Elle's face.

"Anyone with an internet connection, actually. You should see what comes in when you type the word **'death'** into a search engine." He rambled and glancing often at Novilene.

"Reid, no wonder you can't get a date." Morgan teased the man and Novilene decided to tease the older man.

"No wonder why the girls dumped you for only a week, Morgan." She smirked seeing Morgan glared at her as she high-five with Elle.

"Watch your back, mini Gideon.." He playfully glared at her.

"Oh, it's on Morgan... after the case." She smirked and observing the picture again.

"Reid, you stay on the messages. See if there's a deeper meaning." Gideon ordered the young man.

"He ransacked the crime scene pretty well." Morgan commented and showed everyone the picture.

"A lot of damage, nothing taken." Hotch pointed out.

"The eyes are the thing, the signature." Novilene spoke up then stared at everyone. "The behavior that isn't necessary for the murder but necessary for the emotional release. That's what he's there for."

"There used to be a widely held belief that the eyes record a snapshot of the last thing a person sees before they die." Reid pointed out.

"Yeah, that's right." Morgan agreed with Reid's statement. "People used to write poems about talking to death."

"Ballads, Morgan." Novilene corrected him without looking at his direction.

"Whatever." He rolled his eyes at her.

"Rolling your eyes might pop out soon." She stared at the picture with deep thoughts about why every picture has a similar position. Each victim turned their head away and Novilene needs to find out about it.

"You definitely have a third eye, mini Gideon." He freaks out a bit how she could tell it when she's observing the pictures without looking at him.

"You think they'll ever run out of new things to do with their victims?" Elle asks and cuts their small banter off.

"Well, finding new ways to hurt each other is what we're good at."

* * *

 **Task Force Headquarters** **|| San Diego Police Department, California ||**

Novilene can't help but curious what'll be Zack's older brother, Scott Mendes, the Task Force Commander, reaction looks like when they're going to meet each other now. Everyone gets in to see Scott is greeting Hotch that he didn't see her yet.

"Captain Mendes, Task Force Commander." Scott introduced himself to the Unit Chief.

"Sorry, we all get tunnel vision." Hotch apologizes. "I'm Special Agent Hotchner, this is Agent Jareau, our Liaison, and Special Agent Cruz."

"I appreciate you coming out." He froze and blinks his eyes to see Novilene again. His younger brother's lover before. "Novilene? I thought you're still working in London?" He hugs the young woman and she hugs him back ignoring the surprised look to them.

"Well... I quit and they offer me a job to become an FBI Agent like them." Novilene answered as they pull away from each other. "I'm going to observe the board with dad and see if we could found something." She left them alone.

"How did you know Cruz, Captain Mendes?" JJ asks curiously and Scott smiled sadly at them.

"She dated my younger brother, Zack, and passed away for a year and a half now." Scott answered with a solemn expression. "She shuts everyone out including her grandma and 6 months later... Novilene came back to herself but the heartache is still there."

"I'm sorry for your loss, Captain Mendes." Hotch spoke in a soft tone giving the man with sympathy expression.

"Zack wouldn't want us to mourn anymore, he has always been remembered by our hearts." He shakes his head slightly. "Enough about that, let's focus on the case." Dropping the subject of Zack's death and didn't want to relive it again.

Novilene hums in deep thought when she observed the pictures. She tilted her head and biting her lips lightly as Gideon noticed Novilene's behavior.

"Found anything, Mulan?" Gideon question his daughter in a low tone and she nodded her head.

"Dad, don't you think it's a bit strange?" Novilene retorted back in questions and stared at his dark brown eyes. "Look at the pictures, every victim's head turn at the other side, why?"

"Now that I think about it." He stared at the pictures closely seeing their head turn to the side instead of the front. "You're right, Mulan."

"I wonder why he glue their eyes and the face stared in a different direction." She crosses her arms. "We're missing something. I should read the message to see if I'm having any luck with it."

Just when Novilene is about to leave her father's in deep thought he grasps her hands. "Are you okay? Seeing Scott works here?"

"Yeah, I can't run away if I bump into Zack's family, dad." She assured him and patted his shoulder. "Zack wanted me to move on by throwing the locket necklace I'm wearing after the case."

"How did he... died?" He asks in a low tone. Gideon didn't know the whole story of how Zack died last year and his daughter hasn't told him.

"It's better left in the dark, father." A dark looked showed on her face. "I'm also one of the victims that I trusted someone before and it was a rookie mistake." She left ignoring the worried looked of Gideon.

Reid stared at the board with different messages coming from the Unsub. " **'My name is death. Have you not heard of me? You may as well be mute.'** "

"Creepy, huh?" Novilene spoke up right next to Reid as he jumped in surprised that he didn't expect to see her. "Sorry, I'm always a silent walker. I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's fine, you caught me off guard." He assured her and she sighs in relief. "Actually, conversations between death and his victims were a fairly popular literary and artistic theme throughout the Renaissance." Novilene stared at him with an amused expression. "Yeah, creepy."

"Why do I get the feeling you're always awkward around me?" She tucked her light-brown haired behind her ear.

"Are you profiling me?" He blinks his eyes in a surprised expression.

"You're easy to read, Spen." She pointed out and raising her hand up and down on his body. "The whole you, practically screaming... I always rambled and awkward type of person. Don't worry, I'm not a judgemental type."

"You don't?" Reid looks surprised to hear it from her. He usually receives a judgmental look towards other people because they didn't know him very well, unlike his team. Novilene, on the other hand, wants to know the person first before judging them.

"No, I find it... unique one and there's nothing to be awkward around me." She smiled in serene expression that makes Reid's heart flutter.

"Mini Gideon! We're heading back to the crime scene!" Morgan screamed at the young woman.

"Well... duty calls." She steps back and salutes at Reid using two fingers. "Call if you need my help."

"I will." He smiled as Morgan carried Novilene when she jumps at his back.

"She really is an amazing woman, no wonder why Zack loved her much." Reid looked behind to see Captain Mendes staring at them. "I'm sure Zack would be so proud of her."

"You know Novilene's boyfriend?" Reid asks curiously at the blond Captain.

"Yeah, I'm Zack's older brother." He answered and leaving the young Agent in his deep thoughts.

* * *

"This profiling really works?" Detective Martin asks them when he drives the car and headed where the crime scene is.

"It's a tool." Morgan answered when he seats in the front seat while Gideon and Novilene are in the backseat.

"You can tell all about a guy from looking at the scene."

"Well, the scene's only part of it. We use victimology, precedent. We can usually get a fairly clear picture of the guy."

"Our guys went over it pretty well."

"I'm sure they did."

"Local officers aren't trained to look for the things we look for." Gideon pointed out as Novilene stared at the window in a serene expression.

"What's that?" Detective Martin asks curiously.

"Hate, insecurity, fear, anger." Novilene answered.

"That's all at the scene?" He asks in a disbelief tone.

"It's all about his behavior." Morgan answered.

"You know anything about our guy yet?"

"Yeah. He isn't gonna stop until he's caught." Gideon spoke up.

They get off the car as Novilene noticed they've increased the patrol. She couldn't blame them since there is a killer on the loose and hard to get captured him.

"You increased patrols in there neighborhoods when the pattern was identified?" Novilene asks curiously towards the Detective.

"After the fourth victim." Detective Martin answered and lead them to where the house is. "Bosses canceled. days off, vacations. A neighborhood full of cruisers, and he still stuck 2 more times."

Novilene's phone rings and wondering who called her. "He blends, sir." She accepts the call. "Cruz speaking."

 ** _"It's me, Hotch. There may have been another attempt 6 blocks from the station house."_** Hotch explained her and Novilene wondered why he called her not Gideon?

"Attempt?" Gideon leaned closer to hear their conversation as Novilene decided to put her speaker on.

 ** _"The husband interrupted, and the attacker got away but Elle and I are headed over there right now."_**

"Well, we're already at the last crime scene. Let us know if you identify a suspect." Gideon spoke up as Novilene ended the call.

"Suspect?" Detective Martin asks them.

"There might have been another attack not far from your station." Novilene explained and noticed Detective Martin is trying to leave without them.

Morgan saw the Detective is about to leave them behind, he called him. "Hey, hey, hey. Where are you going?"

"Over there." Detective Martin answered in an obvious tone.

"Well, units are already heading that way." Gideon pointed out to him. "We can get more accomplished here."

"You're kidding me, right?" He stared at them in disbelief expressions.

"No. If there's an arrest, what we find here will help you prosecute." Morgan explained to the Detective.

"The scene won't be pristine forever." Novilene added as the Detective shove the keys in her direction.

"Guys, knock yourselves out." Detective Martin told them.

"Thank you?" She muttered and passing the keys to Gideon as she went through the back. Novilene stopped at the window opening as she wearing disposable plastic gloves.

"Mini Gideon, why are you wearing disposable gloves?" She turned around to see Morgan in a skeptical look.

"I don't want to get my fingerprints around the crime scene." She spoke bluntly and he just chuckled. "What?"

"You always worried about such small things." He shakes his head at her statement. "May I?"

"Be my guest." She shrugged and letting Morgan climb in the window.

"Okay, not that easy to maneuver." He commented. "That means I'm a little bit athletic." Jumping off the window and stared at Novilene. "Need a little help?" Teasing the young woman.

Novilene shakes her head slightly. "Step away and I don't want you to get crash into you."

"Wha-" He immediately step away as Novilene step back then diving over the window and landed safely like a cat. She moves her head up and blowing some of her hair was covering her face. "How on earth did you do that?" Morgan noticed her movements as graceful as water. Her actions represent she'd done gymnast before.

"19 years of having private training in gymnastics." She stands up and smiling sheepishly at him. "I didn't mean to show off my skills." Novilene is a never type of girl to show off their skills.

"You and Gideon are completely opposite yet similar theory you two got there." He shakes his head at the young woman.

Novilene went ahead and observing the kitchen room, living room, dining room then lastly at the bedroom seeing her father reading the writings in the mirror.

"I don't get it why the Unsub broke the appliances right after he rapes the woman." Novilene spoke up and crossing her arms. "He didn't take her money or something valuable things."

"There's more than broken things, Nov." Gideon spoke up. " **' You may as well be mute. There is no time at all for vain dispute you. Your riches, gold, and garments, jewels bright your hose and land must on new owners light.'** You have any clues?"

Novilene kneeled down and opened the DVD to see them working out CD then closing it out. "The broken things are symbols, huh? She was doing a step aerobics workout video on. I bet that the woman didn't hear the Unsub barging in her house because she was focused on her workout especially the sound was loud enough of not hearing footsteps." She stands up.

"She had a workout CD." Seeing Morgan decided to join them. "Step aerobics."

"Step aerobics? With the platforms?" Morgan questioned them. "Step up, step down, step up, step down?"

"Yup, the question is... where's the platform?" Novilene questioned then approaching the bed as she looked down to see the platform is under the bed. "He spent a lot of time here."

"What, so he vacuumed?" He asks sarcastically. "I mean, there are no marks from the platforms."

"A lot of time." Gideon commented as Novilene stands up.

"Broken things. She must have been already been dead or incapacitated when he did that. Cappuccino maker from the kitchen, dishes, vases, broken jewelry."

"Symbols. **'Your riches, gold, garments, jewels bright. Your house and land must on new owners light.'** "

"Her riches."

"Right. Ever feel like there's something obvious right in front of you, you just can't see it."

"Yeah, usually right before a woman dumps me."

"I shut everyone out when my boyfriend is dead in a year and a half now." Novilene spoke up and ignoring the sympathy look from Morgan.

* * *

Gideon, Morgan and Novilene came back from the Headquarters. Reid approached Gideon and Novilene holding the papers.

"The verses." He spoke up.

"Found something?" Gideon asks the young man.

"Not an answer, a question. I found a full text and he's pretty much following it to, at least the death side of the conversation." Reid explained.

"But?" Novilene asks him curiously.

"Why didn't he leave them at the first 3 murders? I mean, this Ballad is 10 verses long just on the death side. He's got plenty to work with. But if it's not part of his signature it isn't something that he has to do for an emotional reason then, I mean, why start?"

 **"Gusto niya maging sikat? (He wants to become famous?)"** Novilene muttered in her Filipino language as Morgan giving her a confused look to her.

"JJ, find out when the press ran the first story on this Unsub." Gideon ordered the blonde Liason.

"When?" JJ asks Gideon.

"After which victim."

"Yeah, you got it." She called someone on the phone.

"What are you thinking?" Morgan asks Gideon.

"Mulan, you're right." She blinks her eyes in a surprised expression. "You think that I don't understand your Filipino language but I still know what it means. He wasn't getting enough attention."

"The Police Department sometimes don't even realize they're looking at a pattern." Reid pointed out the facts.

"Yeah, until somebody tells 'em." Morgan commented.

"The first story ran the morning after the fourth victim was found." JJ explained to them while holding the phone.

"The increased patrols didn't begin until after the fourth victim, either."

"Yeah, the Police didn't realize what was happening he writes his verse, and-" Gideon was cut off by two people.

"And everyone knows that he was there." Reid and Novilene spoke up at the same time as she coughs slightly that they're doing it again. Elle and Hotch came back.

"The offender in this new attempt is a black male." Hotch spoke up.

"Blackmail? That's cross-racial. That doesn't happen." Morgan pointed out.

"What about Herbert Mullin?" Reid questioned his friend. "He killed 14 different people of completely varying ages, races and creeds."

"But there was no sexual component to his crimes and he wore a ski mask." Elle pointed out. "This attacker wore a ski mask."

"Tell'em we're ready." Gideon announced while he watched the board far from them.

"For a profile?" Morgan asks.

"We're gonna make Tommy contact us." He grabs Novilene's hand and dragging her away from them.

* * *

"The Unsub brought the weapons with his tape, glue, wire." Gideon explained to them as Novilene is standing right next to Reid, watching Scott is listening to them carefully.

"He did not leave them at the scene. He took them when he left. He has a kind of killing kit that he carries." Novilene added an explanation to everyone.

"Organized killers usually have a skilled job, likely technology related which may involve the use of the hands." Hotch pointed out while crossing his arms. "The crime scenes are far enough apart that he needs a vehicle. This will be well kept, obsessively clean, as will be his home. His diurnal, the attacks occurred during the day so the vehicle may be related to his work, possibly a company car or truck."

"We believe he watches the victims for a time learns the rhythms of the home, knows his time frame." Morgan pointed out.

"You're not gonna catch him accidentally." Novilene spoke up and stared at everyone. "He destroys symbols of wealth in the victim's homes. He harbors envy of hatred towards people of a higher social class. He feels invisible around them."

"Class is the theme of the poem which he left at the various crime scene." Reid spoke up while holding a cup of coffee in his hands. "At one point in the poem, the women attempt to bribe death but he doesn't accept it. He says this is the one moment when riches mean nothing. When death comes, the poor and the rich are exactly alike."

"So he's poor?" Scott asks them curiously.

"Probably middle-class." Hotch answered. "A decidedly lower-class person would stick out in a highly patrolled neighborhood. This guy appears to belong there. He blends in."

"Why does he glue the eyes open?" One of the Detectives asks.

"The Unsub is an exploitative rapist." Elle answered. "Most rape victims close their eyes during the attack, turn their heads. For some rapists, this ruins the fantasy. For this type of rapist, the goal is more related to the victim, watching him than the act itself."

"The verses, the staging, the aggressive language, **'I am death'** , this is a guy who, while being in control of the crime scene almost certainly feels inadequate in the rest of his life." Novilene pointed out the facts.

"That's why he couldn't wait for you to figure it out what he'd done." Gideon commented and standing up. "Why he needed to make sure all his crimes were counted. His victims represent whatever it is that's controlling him and he wants that control back. He is under the thumb of a powerful woman who frightens him. And a final point. He is white."

"We have witnesses that identify him as a black male." Scott pointed them out that makes him confuse why the profiler is a white male instead of a black male.

"The attacker was black. He is not Tommy Killer."

"Mrs. Gordon's husband came home at the same that he always does." Hotch explained to the Captain. "The Tommy Killer would've known that."

"And Mrs. Gordon's attacker wore a ski mask." Elle pointed out. "The Unsub knows he walks into a house, he's going to kill the woman who lives there. If you're not leaving any witnesses, why wear a ski mask?"

"And he wants the victim to see him anyway." Morgan commented.

"Your attempted rapist is a garden variety, disorganized young man." Hotched pointed out.

"As the victim's age goes up, generally the attacker's age goes down. Mrs. Godron is about 60, which puts her rapist at about 20." Elle explained.

"And it takes years to develop the level of calm and sophistication that Tommy displays at a crime scene." Gideon commented. "The rapist is far too young for that."

"Mrs. Gordon told me that there's a young man who delivers groceries to their home. He fits a lot of what we're describing here."

"Great. So we're back to zero on Tommy." Scott spoke sarcastically and he started to loose cool as Novilene noticed it.

"Not at all, Scott." Novilene assured the man. "We're close to capturing him."

"Novilene..." He narrowed his eyes at her. Scott always knew once she's declaring about it, Novilene will do everything in her power to stop the criminals.

"May I see you in your office for a moment?" Hotch asks the Captain.

"Follow me." Scott and Hotch left them.

* * *

Everyone is waiting for the Unsub to call the Headquarters surrounded by a huge tension. Novilene is seating right next to Morgan trying to have a light nap.

"God, I hate waiting like this." Elle spoke up while twirling her phone as Reid playing the Rubrics cube.

"Do you think it's weird that I knew that Ballad?" Reid asks Elle curiously while playing the rubrics cube.

"I don't know how it is that you know half the things you know but I'm glad you do." She chuckled.

"Do you think it's why I can't get a date?" Elle stared at him with a questioning look as he stared back at her.

"You ever ask anyone out?"

"No."

"That's why you can't get a date." She spoke bluntly and smiled mischievously. "You planning to date Gideon's daughter on your birthday?"

"Wh-what?" He stuttered and stared at Novilene who's having a light nap right next to Morgan.

"Come on, Reid. It's very obvious that you're having-"

Detective Martin snaps his fingers as Novilene immediately woke up while everyone turns the telephone on the speaker.

 ** _"You stupid, incompetent sons of bitches!"_** The man yelled angrily through the phone. **_"I don't make mistakes! I am death! You hear me!? I am death! You'll see now. Tomorrow, mark my words, you will see. And while I'm taking her, I'm gonna be thinking of you."_** He ends the call and Novilene could tell he's going to kidnap a woman again.

"She said she got nothing." Novilene snapped out of her thoughts when JJ told everyone that Garcia hasn't found the unsub.

"Nothing?"

"We missed him?"

"No, Garcia didn't miss it." Novilene spoke up and Scott sighs heavily, of course, she's always quick to understand the situation. "He must have used the disposable phone in order for us to prevent tracing him."

"What now?" Scott asks them curiously. "I'm not going to ask you, Novilene, because you scared the hell out of me sometimes of that theory of yours." She smiled and laughs nervously knowing he's right.

"We're going to have an undercover." Gideon suggested and stared at Scott.

"Let's hear it."

* * *

Novilene is partnering with Scott when they're going to catch the Unsub. She leans back and closing her eyes trying to think back of the scenes. Scott is tapping the wheel lightly and didn't bother to disturb her thinking. The blonde man didn't expect he's going to see her again especially when she has gotten herself move from the death of his younger brother, her lover, who died last year.

Scott knew that despite Zack's gone, Novilene's loved for him will never disappear. After all, Zack was Novilene's first loved. Here she is, Novilene is willing to open her heart and fall in love again.

"Scott... our Unsub is a phone technician repair." Novilene opened her eyes and stared at him. "It makes sense."

"It doesn't make sense to me." He spoke bluntly and she rolled her eyes wasn't surprised by his clueless person. "How did the Unsub became the phone technician?"

"He's observing the surroundings and decided to attack them whoever the richest person lived in here. Before he attacks, he studied their houses and routines-"

"Decided to rape them and destroyed the valuable things." The realization hit him. "How are we going to find out which one is which?"

"I'll call Garcia, she's our tech analyst." She scrolled down her contacts then calling her.

 ** _"Office of unfettered omniscience. Penelope Garcia is in. Speak, oh fortunate one."_** Garcia accepts the call after one ring.

"Garcia, it's Cruz. Could you get into the phone repair records in San Diego?" She asks the blonde tech analyst.

 ** _"Mini Gideon... I can run Centcom from here and still participate in simultaneous Tetris tournaments."_** Novilene hears the typing of the keyboard.

"I'm looking for repairmen cross-referenced with the murders in San Diego. It could be as much as four or five days prior. See if there are any common names."

 ** _"Total cake. Stay on the line."_**

"Nov, I was surprised you left the country despite you love it very much." Scott spoke up. "If you and Sherlock are together, you two are quick enough to solve the cases anyway." He pointed out.

"Sherlock can solve the case without me before and he can do it himself. The more I stayed in London, Sherlock would give me an early stroke or grey hair." She gives him a deadpanned expression and he chuckled in response.

"Well, you're the only one who could understand him of all people." He smiled cheekily and she huffs quietly.

 ** _"Mini Gideon, I've found it. His name is Franklin Graney."_** Garcia manages to get the name of their Unsub while she heard their conversation. It caught her guard off by Novilene knew this guy before.

"Thanks, P." Thanking the tech analyst and decided to call Hotch that they've found something. "Call dad and say our Unsub is Franklin Graney. I bet that he knew that the Unsub is a phone technician."

"Copy that." Scott agreed and decided to call her father. "Hey, Jason..."

 ** _"Cruz, what did you got?"_** Hotch answered after 2 rings.

"The Unsub is a phone technician, Hotch. Police are looking for someone walking around the neighborhood in broad daylight. Who notices a phone guy on a pole?" Novilene questioned his Unit Chief.

 ** _"He can watch for husbands leaving for work, watch for police patrols, known when the neighborhood's quiet."_** He commented and Novilene hums to agreed with his deductive skills.

"He knows when he'll have plenty of time. Tapping the phone line to make sure someone's home. How about routing a call through 25 substations? Backyard? Looking for pole and climb on it and pretending he's focusing his job but it's something else. Tape? Course he does because it's part of his job description. Wire? He's a repairman."

 ** _"Sounds right, Novilene."_** She blinks her eyes in disbelief to hear Hotch calling her first name.

"It is right, and we have his name."

* * *

Novilene sighs in relief as she gets off the car. Scott rolled his eyes and nudged her shoulder lightly for being an overdramatic friend. She glared at him and shoving him lightly for being the reckless driver that almost gotten themselves hit by a cat walking down the road.

"Lighten up, we didn't kill the cat." Scott pointed out and to see Gideon and Elle arrived at the same time as them.

"If only you didn't over speed like we're some sort of Fast and Furious scene. We wouldn't bump the cat and almost killed him or her!" She exclaimed angrily and slapping his shoulder.

"You almost hit by a cat?" Gideon asks them in an amused tone.

"We do and that's his truck right?" She changed the topic.

"Yes." Hotch appeared wearing his sunglasses. "Fan out. Go through yards. Look at telephone poles. He's around here." He ordered everyone.

Everyone split up in different directions. Novilene went to the left side and see the gate is opened then narrowing her eyes at the house. She came in and saw the equipment laying on the table while the baby boy in the high chair is crying looking for his mother. Novilene's heart pounding and grabbing her gun to look at the surroundings.

"Mama! Mama! Let me out! Let me out!" The baby boy screamed while wailing. He noticed a woman holding the gun is here then sobbing.

Novilene recalled her horrible past, the death of her mother as she immediately shakes off the thought and focusing the case. She kissed the forehead of the baby boy and called her father. "875 Orange, Dad. Backdoor." Ending up the call and rubbing his head. "Mommy will be back, okay? I'm going to call her, I promise, and sissy will do it."

"Ye-yeah." He hiccuped and immediately liking the young woman.

Novilene walked silently and looked up to see the silhouette of the man. She goes upstairs and walked slowly in front of the room to hear the voice of a man and a crying of a woman.

"Never acknowledge me. Never... think of me." The man declared and the moment Novilene takes another step, it creaks.

Novilene grimaced and decided to continue heading the room as she opened the door to see Graney holding the gun and pointing the mother of the child's head.

"I'll shoot her." Graney told the young woman and feel scared seeing her cold calculative looked.

"No, you won't, Franklin." Novilene spoke up in a calm tone.

"Yes, I will."

"If you hurt her, I won't hesitate to kill you." Staring at him in cold looked. "I'll just say we caught a low-life burglar. You didn't turn out to be Tommy after all. You will remain uncaught." She steps closer. "After a while, people will forget you. You'll be nothing. Once every 5 or 10 years, they'll do a TV show. They'll ask, **'whatever happened to that Tommy guy? Why'd he disappear?'** Then they'll stop talking about it altogether and be forgetting that you exist in this world. Put the gun down." Novilene noticed his demeanor changed and hesitating whether he's going to do it or not. "Come on. Walkout here with me. I'll make sure your face is splashed across every newspaper and TV around the world. Tommy Killer. Franklin Graney. Everyone will see you then. Bundy, Dahmer, Graney. The whole world will know who you are. It's up to you, Franklin. You can be famous, or you can be invisible."

"You'll tell everyone?" Graney asks the young woman with a hopeful look on his face.

"I have a media specialist outside right now. It's your choice." She lied and wanted to put him in jail than spread his fantasy idea.

"Promise?"

"Yes, sir. I promise." Graney putting his gun down and raising his arms up. "Back away from the gun." He steps back as Hotch and the others came in.

Hotch handcuff Graney as Novilene immediately remove the duct tape from the woman's mouth as Elle removes the wire from her feet being tied up.

"Where's my baby? My baby!" The woman cried as Novilene comforted her.

"He's fine. The baby is fine." Elle assured the woman.

"Your baby boy is fine and you're okay. We caught him." Novilene spoke up in a gentle tone.

"Thank you." The woman thanked them.

Novilene comforting the woman that they already caught Graney.

* * *

Everyone is riding on the private jet heading back home while Reid and Gideon are playing chess. Gideon realized something and grabbing a gift inside of his bag.

"Oh, I almost forgot. I have something for you." Gideon whispered and glance at Novilene who's busy doing her paperwork while listening to the music using headphones.

"Oh, yeah?" Reid asks him.

"Forgot to give it to you at the party."

"But you don't give birthday presents." He pointed out that Gideon never gives presents to him before. Reid opened the gifts to see two tickets for the Ice Skating National Tournament. "Ice Skating National Tournament?" He blinks in surprise and didn't expect Gideon is into Ice Skating.

"It's a V.I.P box." He commented and couldn't wait to see Reid's reaction if he's going to say next.

"Thank you so much."

"Ever been to an Ice Skating National tournament before?" Gideon questioned Reid curiously.

"No, I honestly didn't go to see Ice Skating National Tournament before." He answered while examining the VIP tickets.

"You're gonna love it." Gideon smiled seeing Reid's happy.

"We are. You're coming with me, right?" He asks with a happy look on his face.

"No. Someone else on the plane is a huge fan of watching Ice Skating." Gideon answered with a smirk on his face and thinking of a certain person who loves to watch Ice Skating.

"Who?" He asks in a confused tone.

"Only one person in the world who calls you Spen." He smirked seeing a blush on Reid's cheek.

"Lenny?" He stared at him in disbelief expression.

"She's a huge Ice Skating fan and especially her cousin, Linda, is competing as the representative of their country."

"Wh-what should I say?" He stuttered and Gideon didn't answer. Reid stands up and before moving the chess piece. "Checkmate."

Novilene stops writing and leaning back on the chair that she finished doing the paperwork in advance. She played her pen by using her fingers twirling it absently while closing her eyes.

"Um... Lenny?" She opened her one eye to see Reid is seating across her and smiling nervously. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I just finished doing paperwork and I'll have plenty of sleep when I get home." Novilene answered and sitting up straight.

"Um... are you-you free on Saturday?" He stuttered and mentally face palming himself for being a nervous person.

"Yes, I'm free. Why?" She tilted her head curiously.

"Well... I was-was wonder-wondering if you could hang out with me to watch Ice Skating Tournament on Saturday and it is fine if you don't come and-" He stopped rambling as Novilene giggling at him. He blushed embarrassed and hearing her giggle is like a bell chime.

"Sorry, haven't we talk about this? There's no need to be nervous." She smiled and biting her lips lightly. "Are you asking me out on a date? Spen?"

"Well..." Seeing the serene expression of Novilene, encouraging him to go on. "Yes?"

"You sounded unsure, Spen. I'll let this one slide... I would love to go on a date with you, Spen." She smiled as Reid couldn't believe that he's asking someone out on a date towards Gideon's daughter.

"Great, fantastic. Um... it started at 1:00, we can go to lunch together before going to the event? If that is okay with you-"

"Spen."

"Yes?"

"We can go to lunch together before the event."

Reid smiled at Novilene that he didn't expect a woman like her would say yes. Elle overheard their conversations and smirked that it's about time that they go out on a date.


	7. Chapter 5 Broken Mirror

**_It's been a long time to go on a date to someone else when Zack passed away. Spen rambles a lot regarding Ice Skating and telling me when it's been originated. It caught him off surprise why I didn't look annoyed and listening to his facts._**

 ** _He asks my dad to know what are my likes and dislikes or even if I have a food allergy which is none but only alcohol. It's a bit irony the fact I'm the only girl in our family who has an allergy to it whereas some of them are heavy drinkers. Spen is a sweet guy and always looking out for me aside from taking me on a date but also for my health._**

 ** _Zack would never do that to me before. He usually takes me a posh date and never asks what my ideal type of date. I know it's wrong for me to compare between him and Spen but- whenever I'm with him, there's no spark or any love at all as lovers._**

 ** _If I am with Spen, I always feel butterflies in my stomach. Heck, he manages to make me blush. Being with Spen on a date is the best wish that I could ever ask for. ~Novilene Cruz_**

* * *

Novilene knew someone is looking at her while she finishes the last report. Sighing heavily and looking at Elle with a deadpanned expression. "Yes, Elle?"

"Soo~" Elle comes closer to her desk. "How's your date with Reid?" She wanted Novilene to tell her date with Reid last weekend.

"I don't share my personal dating life, Elle." Novilene answered bluntly and never wanting to share her dating experience with Reid.

Novilene finally removes her locket necklace been given to Zack. She finally moves on from her love life and giving a chance to fall in love. It's hard for her to let go but it's the only way to let go of her pasts. Her grandmother, Maricar, is very proud of her and always support Novilene's love life.

"Come on, please!" Elle pleads and Novilene didn't spill even one bit of information. "I bet Gideon knows."

"It doesn't matter if my dad knows it or not. Even my grandma didn't know my date with Spen." Novilene pointed out and her phone buzz. "Ugh, not him again." She groaned and open her message.

"Let me guess, Holmes is also asking your date?" Elle guessed and Novilene fake smile.

"More like pestering me. I swear you guys are going to ask an autograph from us and become celebrities soon." Novilene commented sarcastically and slapping Elle's head gently using a manila folder.

"You also give each other nickname and that's cute." Elle grinned and Novilene sighs heavily. "What? It's true!? Morgan, tell me I'm right about them giving each other's nickname!" Novilene turned around to see Morgan and Reid are approaching them.

"It's true, mini Gideon." Morgan smirked and Novilene just glares at them. "Don't deny it!"

"Are we back in High School?" Novilene asks sarcastically and Reid just smiled by her sassy remarks. "Ooh! Oh my gosh! I just had a first date with a boy! Isn't it amazing!?" Pretending to be gushing of her first experience and Morgan rolls his eyes.

"Such a Drama Queen." Elle pointed out with a grins. "Speaking of your grandma, how is she?" She asks curiously. Elle joined Novilene to fetch Maricar the moment she landed on the plane. Her grandmother is a very kind and loving elder as she wanted to stay with Novilene. Missing her granddaughter very much and wanted to live in Novilene.

"She enjoyed Virginia and wanted to stroll around the park by herself." Novilene answered and couldn't wait to spend time with her grandma.

"What is she look-" Morgan was cut off by Hotch's voice.

"Reid, Morgan and Cruz document's up on the screen regarding the kidnapping of Trish Davenport." Informing his remaining teammates.

"Have you read those documents, Sir?" Novilene asks the Unit Chief as they headed up towards the briefing room to join Elle and Hotch.

"Yeah, got a copy from the document examiner." Hotch answered.

"What does it say?" Morgan asks them.

"That we've got until 8:00 tonight." He answered with a grim look on his face.

Everyone is in the briefing room as Novilene, Reid and Gideon are reading the letter.

" **'You will follow instructions carefully. You will do this to ensure the safety of your daughter. You will wait for the call. You will answer the call at 8:00 P.M. You will write down the instructions and follow them to the letter.'** " Reid read the letter out.

"That gives us less than 9 hours to get to Connecticut work up victimology on Trish Davenport and prepare her father for the ransom drop." Hotch explained to his team.

"How do we know the letter's real?" Gideon asks Hotch curiously.

Hotch scroll down the letters. "The handwriting is a match for Trish's. He dictated it to her, and they found saline on the paper."

 **"Ang luha niya (her tears)."** Novilene muttered in Filipino and Gideon agreed with her.

"He doesn't say **'I'**. He doesn't say **'I will call'**. He says **'you will call'**. He's distancing himself from the kidnapping." Morgan pointed out. "If he said **'I'** , he'd be taking responsibility for it."

"There's also another missing element." Hotch pointed out.

"No mention of the police. Ransom notes almost always forbid Police involvement." Elle commented.

"So is he expecting Law Enforcement to get involved?"

"Well, if he's expecting us, let's not disappoint him." Gideon commented.

* * *

"Anyone familiar with the father?" Hotch asks his team.

"Evan Davenport, U.S Attorney, executive assistant. Southern District, New York. Widower." Novilene spoke and reading the messages again coming from her Uncle Jay as she didn't look up at their stares. "Assigned U.S Marshals 3 times in the past 10 years due to death threats."

 ** _To: Uncle Jay_**

 ** _My dad, the team and I are going to help and save Trish. You got a lot of explanations from me Mr-I-am-dating-with-his-daughter!_**

Novilene presses the sent button. She leans back in the chair to calm herself down before snapping at someone.

"Is the protective detail still current?" Morgan asks.

"Around the clock, but Trish declined protection when she turned 18." Hotch answered.

"Too bad for the boyfriend." He feels sorry for the boyfriend got killed without any protection.

"But why kill him?" Reid questioned.

"Well, if I'm gonna kidnap someone. I know I have to take out whoever's with them." Morgan answered and flipping the next picture. "It says here she's got a sister."

"Cheryl." Novilene answered Morgan's question.

"How did you know this, Mini Gideon?" He asks curiously.

"Cheryl is dating my Uncle Jay." Earning strange looks from her and she sighs heavily. "Uncle is 2 years older than me and he hasn't told anyone including Ma that he's dating Trish sister." Crossing her arms with a bitter look on her face.

"Yikes, your Uncle is going to get himself in trouble by you." He cringed and whoever Jay is, he felt sorry for him. Morgan knew Novilene is known to be brutal when she's going to beat someone behind her hourglass appearance. "Any problems? Were they close?"

"Yeah. They're identical twins." Reid showed it to Morgan the pictures of the twins, two blonde girls wearing their cheerleader outfit with pompom. Gideon sent Novilene a look that the twins are a sensitive topic for her.

 **|| Connecticut, New Haven**

"I have 6 people on my staff. I have 3 bodyguards. They've all had polygraphs. Everybody's been vetted." Evan Davenport explained to Reid, Gideon, Hotch and Novilene.

"And they all have alibis for the night of the kidnapping?" Hotch asks Davenport.

"All accounted for by the local FBI field office. Cheryl flew in yesterday and she's bringing Jay with her because..." He stared at Novilene that they have similar features to her daughter's boyfriend. She also has the same eyes as the older man standing right next to her. "Jay is worried about her well-being and you must be his niece?"

"Yes and I'm sorry that we meet in a different situation." Novilene spoke up giving him a sympathetic smile. At least her Uncle informs Davenport about their family relationship.

"Me too. Jay won't let her leave alone even for-" He exhales and rubbing her forehead. "Sorry. I just feel like I'm suffocating here. I just want somebody to tell me that she's okay." He's still dreading for Cheryl's safety.

"Dr. Reid." She called Spen in a soft tone as Spen stared at her then approaching them.

"What do the statistics tell us?" Gideon asks him.

"If you follow their instructions and give them the money, your daughter will be returned." Reid answered.

"Done." One of the FBI agents, Vincent Shyer, announced. "This house is bug-free."

"All right, bring it in." Agent Shyer announced and calling the staff members to bring the pieces of equipment in. She glanced at the man and can't help but feel suspicious about him.

"So, what are your theories so far about this kidnapper?" Davenport asks the man who's standing right next to Novilene.

"He targeted you for a reason. Every line of the letter starts with the word **'you'**. He's angry at you probably feels like you owe him. That everything you own, you don't deserve." Gideon explained to him.

"And from the language in the ransom, we most likely believe that he's working alone." Hotch commented.

* * *

Davenport grabs one of the books with his reading glasses on. He approached them to explain about his daughters. "They're not entirely identical. They're mirror twins." He explained to them. "Some of Trish's organs are on the right side that should be on the left. The Doctor assured us that it wasn't life-threatening." Handing them the book.

"Situs inversus." Novilene pointed out since she was a former Doctor and been through cases like this before. Gideon handed the book to Reid since Novilene knew about mirror twins before.

"They had self-defense training?" Gideon asks Davenport.

"Yeah. I insisted on it." Davenport answered. "The protective detail rankled when they hit puberty and I was sure that they would refuse their bodyguards when they left for College." He noticed Reid's reading too fast. "Excuse me. Can you actually read that fast?"

"Our conscious minds can process 16 bits of information per second." Reid answered to Davenport as Novilene could tell he's going to ramble soon. "Our unconscious, however, can process 11 million."

"Yes, Dr. Reid can read fast." Novilene spoke in simple words seeing a confused looked from Davenport.

"If whoever took her wants me to blow cases or suppress evidence or stand down, I... " Davenport stopped talking as Gideon intervened.

"What makes you think it's someone you prosecuted?" He questioned him.

"Well, I have money, but I don't have millions. I mean, what else could it be?" He questioned them.

"In our experience, Mr Davenport. Every case is different." He stared at Novilene. "Nov?"

"What if this Unsub loves your daughters, Mr Davenport?" Novilene spoke up and crossing her arms. "I mean- he shot Trish boyfriend something personal and... I can't explain it further till we can hear him speaking."

"It can't be Jay that he killed Trish boyfriend and kidnapped her. He treated them as his own siblings." Davenport denied the thought of Jay is capable of murdering and kidnapping.

"I'm not saying Jay is the Unsub here." She shakes her head and knowing Jay is a good guy that he could never kill and kidnap someone for their own crazy minds. "There's something in my instincts telling me that this Unsub **'wanting to get what I want'**. That something could be your daughters." Novilene exhales and crosses her arms.

"You're..." He is speechless and not knowing what to say any rude things about her.

"Weird and that I'm sort of a fortune teller. I quite get that a lot." She smiled sheepishly at Davenport. Mostly her and Sherlock got that look whenever they solve crimes together.

"Is she always like this?" Wanting to hear their opinions.

"Yes." Gideon answered with no hesitation. "Trust me when I say this, never doubt at her skills for this."

* * *

"This button answers the call. This button makes everyone in the room. It'll flash red." Reid explained to Davenport as Novilene is standing right next to Jay. "You'll be able to hear his side of the conversation. He won't be able to hear us."

"We'll be running the trace through the field office." Agent Shyer explained to Davenport. "But you're in good hands with Agent Gideon and his team." He left and didn't notice the cold look of Novilene's dark brown eyes gazes at him.

"Cheryl, can I borrow my Uncle for a second?" Novilene asks the blonde girl.

"Sure." Cheryl smiled weakly and she already knew her because Jay told her a lot that his niece is older than her, 22 years old while she's 18.

Novilene and Jay went to the private room to talk with each other before the Unsub called them. Jay can tell he's going to get himself in trouble for hiding the relationship with them especially his mother.

"Seren-"

"Jason Dave Cruz!" She whispered angrily and smacking his shoulder. "Why didn't you tell us you have a girlfriend?"

"Ow! Do you really have to smack me that hard?" He asks and rubbing his right shoulder where she hits it. "I was about to tell you... when I'm flying back to the Philippines and bring Cheryl with me to introduce you guys at my holiday breaks."

"Ma is going to kill me for this." She groaned and holding her head. She imagines the wrath of her grandmother for hiding the secret relationship with her. "How long have you guys been dating?"

"8 months-"

"8 months!? Bloody-"

 **Knock!**

 **Knock!**

Someone opened the door to see Cheryl's head. She smiled nervously and seeing Novilene's face is red with anger, wanting to strangle Jay.

"Um... it's almost time. Is everything alright?" Cheryl asks them worriedly that she might interrupt their conversations.

"Yeah, we're fine." Jay assured his girlfriend. "She's angry for keeping our relationship in secret."

"We three are going to speak after the case, okay?" Novilene asks the two lovers. "Let's focus on saving your sister first. Let's go." She went ahead of them before they could say anything.

"I think she doesn't like me, Jay." Cheryl whispered and Jay grasps her hand then grips it gently.

"She likes you and Serenity was upset for keeping it to her and my family." He whispered back.

Everyone is waiting for the call of the Unsub and the atmosphere is filled with huge tensions and anxious. Gideon stared at Davenport and decided to give him a piece of advice.

"Remember, keep your voice even and calm and agree with everything he says." He spoke in a low tone and seeing Jay is wrapping his arms around Cheryl's shoulder to pull her close to him.

"He's late." Davenport commented.

"He'll call." Novilene assured him. "Just try to relax. This is his strategy, he wants you on edge."

The phone rings as Reid and Morgan wearing the headphones to get themselves ready. "Remember to repeat any important information he gives you to make sure you understand. You try to keep him talking to reveal something about Trish or about himself." Gideon explained as he answered the call.

"This is Evan Davenport." Davenport introduced himself to the Unsub.

 ** _"Hello, Mr Davenport."_** The Unsub greets and Novilene noticed her Uncle thought the same thing as her. They heard the familiar voice somewhere but the question is who?

"Are you the man who has my daughter Patricia?"

 **"I have your daughter."** The Unsub told them.

"Can I ask you-"

 ** _"You may ask me nothing. This is not an interrogatory. You will listen only to my instructions."_** He spoke in a stern tone.

"Okay."

 ** _"But I will not give them to you."_**

"I don't understand."

 ** _"I do not want to talk to you, Mr Davenport."_** Novilene guessed the Unsub wanted to talk to Cheryl alone and no one else.

"Excuse me?"

 ** _"I want to talk to her. I want to talk to Cheryl."_** Gideon pressed the mute button.

"What's he doing?" Davenport asks them.

"What most of the offenders we catch try to do... establish dominance." Morgan answered.

"How long can we keep him on hold?" Elle asks them.

"There's no way I'm letting Cheryl talk with him." Jay denied the idea of his girlfriend talking to a criminal.

"Why not, Jay? I want to help. I'll talk to him." Cheryl pleaded and Jay shakes his head.

"Cheryl doesn't have the authority that Davenport holds. He shouldn't want to talk to her." Morgan pointed out.

"I think that she should speak to him." Elle voiced out her opinion.

 ** _"Do I need to repeat myself? I want to talk to Cheryl. Put her on the phone. Now."_** The Unsub demanded and Novilene glared at the phone in hatred.

"No." Gideon denied to the idea as well.

"I think she should speak to him. He wants to talk to her. The more he speaks, the more he reveals." Elle tried to persuade Gideon.

"She's right Gideon." Morgan agreed at her point.

"He has my sister." Cheryl spoke up and stared at Jay. "Please Jay, you have to let me do it." Pleading her boyfriend to do it and wanting to save her sister whereas he shook his head.

"Cher..." Jay stared at her with a worried expression.

"No." Gideon denied as well.

 ** _"I'm waiting."_**

"Novilene." He knew Novilene is the master of disguise including the voices as well.

She approached them and standing behind Davenport. Novilene clearing her throat and giving her dad a thumbs up that she's ready.

"This is Cheryl." Novilene's tone changed that it looks exactly the same tone as Cheryl. They gaped in surprised excluding Jay and Gideon to hear Novilene's tone changed including her facial expression.

 ** _"Hello, Cheryl. How are you?"_** The Unsub tone changed into soft and gentle that he fell off her bait.

"I'd be a lot of better if I knew that my sister..." Her tone is filled with empathy. "Patricia's ok." Hoping she won't be screwed her job for this.

 ** _"I can tell you have a lot of empathy, Cheryl. You care about others."_** Everyone in this room didn't expect the Unsub fell for that.

"Yes, I do." Her voice wavered and trying herself to become Cheryl. "And it sounds like you understand."

 ** _"You mean that I empathize?"_** He asks her. **_"I do. Very much. I empathize. I empathize with you, Cheryl more than your boyfriend, Jay. I know you want to be with your sister."_**

"Yes, I want Trish back." Novilene pleads and they want to know where Trish's hideout.

 ** _"Good. Tell me what you want, Cheryl. I'm very interested. Tell me all about yourself that your boyfriend doesn't know more about you. What's your favorite color?"_** In a soft tone and Novilene noticed Cheryl is comforting Jay to calm himself down. Gideon paused the mute as Elle immediately go to her side.

"Don't answer that. Stay with Trish." Elle ordered Novilene and she nodded her head.

"If I tell you, will you let me talk to my sister?" She asks the Unsub while giving Cheryl and Jay a hand signal to get in close to her in case they heard Trish voice.

 ** _"Maybe. Maybe not."_** He chuckled as the couple stands behind her.

"I like blue." Her voice wavered and sniffs. Jay could even tell that his niece is almost compromising her task knowing the twin's case is very sensitive to her.

 ** _"How ordinary."_** He commented. ** _"Do you like chocolate, Cheryl?"_** Novilene furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. **_"Do... you... like... chocolate?"_** He repeated the question slowly.

"Yes." Novilene closing her eyes shut and feeling the warmth of the person's hand to her hands. She opened her eyes to see Gideon is holding her hand. It is a hard task for her but she keeps on doing it for the sake of the case.

 ** _"I do as well."_**

"Please, let me talk to my sister." Novilene pleads the Unsub as her voice is still Cheryl, giving the blonde girl a look to continue it for her.

"All I want to do is hear her voice, please?" Cheryl takes the role for Novilene as she steps back and Jay caught her before she falls down. Novilene ignored the worried looks from them.

 **"Okay ka lang? (Are you okay?)"** Jay whispered at Novilene's ear.

 **"Medyo (A little)."** She whispered back in her original voice at her Uncle as Novilene stand up straightly. Still shaking from what she'd done and feeling loss for not having her twin sister alive. **"Salamat (thanks)."**

 ** _"Cher..."_** They heard the weak of Trish's voice.

"Trish!"

 ** _"Cher, is that you?" Trish asks her sister's and her conscious is not fully aware of the situation._**

"Trish, it's me. I'm here. Are you okay?" Cheryl asks her sister worriedly.

 **"Cher, I can't..."** She groaned and squinting her eyes.

"Where are you? What do you see?"

 ** _"I... I see the moon."_** They heard another crack.

"Trish!" She cried out the name of her sister's voice.

 ** _"Have 500,000 ready."_** The Unsub ordered them.

"Let me talk to her!"

 ** _"$500,00 is what I'm owed. The Davenports will wait by the phone. You will receive a call with precise instructions in exactly 15 minutes."_** He ends up the call.

Cheryl cried and decided to walk out of the room as her father following his daughter. Jay is having the conflict of whether to stay with Novilene or Cheryl. Novilene giving him an assured look to chase them before he kissed her on the forehead and followed them.

"Were you able to trace it?" Gideon asks Reid.

"No. He's probably using a disposable cellphone. They're impossible to trace." Reid explained to his mentor. "How did you changed your voice into Cheryl?"

"Lots of practice." Novilene answered and drinking a bottle of water from her father's messenger bag.

"She said she could see the moon." Elle pointed out.

"She sounded delirious." Gideon commented.

"She was sedated." Reid spoke bluntly.

"Could have been a light."

"If he's keeping her drugged, it might mean he's not very strong." Morgan pointed out. "He might have to keep her weak just so he can dominate her."

"Or he's keeping her quiet." Elle pointed out.

"Let's not forget the way he has hatred towards my Uncle." Novilene spoke up and blinking her eyes that she finished everything in the bottle. "He's jealous that Uncle Jay stole Cheryl's heart and decided to ask questions about herself. Has Mr Davenport told us everything about his staff?"

"Oh, yeah, we have detailed reports but we should probably revisit background on household staff aides and current docket." Hotch answered the young woman's question. "You can still back out this case, Cruz." He also knew that this case is very sensitive to her because she used to have a twin before.

"No way." Novilene denied the thought of sitting here and doing nothing. "I absolutely refuse to back out the case, sir. I'm a bit sensitive when it comes to twin's case but I'll do anything in my skills to solve it and save their lives." She spoke in a determined tone staring at Hotch in her stern expression.

"We need mini Gideon, Hotch. She nailed it and the Unsub doesn't know it was her not Cheryl." Morgan defended the young woman. "Guys, she wasn't blindfolded."

"No." Gideon answered.

"If she's seen his face as soon as he gets that money..."

"He'll kill her."

* * *

"He said owed." Novilene stared at the paper to read the letter again as Reid stand close to her.

"$500,000. His demand sounded scripted like he was reading it to us." Reid spoke up.

"But the rest of the conversation wasn't." She pointed out.

"He was most relaxed just talking to mini Gideon as Cheryl." Morgan commented giving her a look. "Which it creeps me out the way you acted out there."

"What does that mean?" Gideon questions him.

"Maybe he already knew her. How much time we got?"

"6 minutes." Reid answered and stared at the wall clock of the time.

"How quickly can you get the money?" Novilene asks Davenport.

Jay went to the kitchen to grab a drink of water. Noticing Cheryl is going to have a glass of wine and he snatch it. She gave him a look but Jay ignored it.

"Look, I know I shouldn't drink, but under the circumstances, you'd think you could let this one slide, Jay?" Cheryl asks her boyfriend and wondering how he could be so calm in this kind of situation.

"Babe..." He pulls her closer and hugging his girlfriend. "As much as I hated to say this... He's gonna call back and they need you at your best." Jay noticed Elle is watching them far.

"How could be you so calm for this, Jay?" She stared at his hazel eyes. "How did you stomach it?"

"I remember my ex-brother-in-law, Jason Gideon, told me that panicking won't solve the problem." He answered and caressing her head. "Sometimes, I feared for Serenity's safety because she chooses a very dangerous job that I could have an early white hair." Cheryl chuckled and imagining her boyfriend having an early white hair.

"It suits you." She teased and Jay shakes his head and giving her a chaste kiss.

"I'd rather stay young before I reach a certain age to become a grandpa." He spoke sarcastically. "You trusted your feelings this far and hold onto that. Serenity and his team will save Trish."

"Serenity is Novilene right?" He nodded his head. "Why are you calling Serenity, not Novilene?"

"She has the same name as my late grandmother. I decided to call her Serenity and sorry about her... She had a hard life." He smiled at her sadly.

"That she almost breakdown?" Cheryl couldn't forget the almost breakdown look from Novilene when she's trying to be her.

"Yeah, she had a twin younger sister, Angelique, she died after she was born." Jay explained to his girlfriend. "When she grew older, Serenity told me she felt like her other half is missing and we explained everything to her about Angelique."

"It must've been hard on her." She can't help but feel sympathy towards Novilene and finally understand why she almost had a breakdown.

"If anyone is going to save Trish, it's her and her team. That man doesn't even know who he's dealing with... challenging them is a huge mistake."

* * *

Their plan failed however, the Unsub failed to captured Cheryl. All of them didn't know why the Unsub knew their plan and even Novilene started to get suspicious about it.

"How on earth did he knew about our plan?" Novilene muttered and clenching her hands into fist filled with anger as the phone rings then she decided to press the green button.

 ** _"That was fun, wasn't it?"_** The Unsub asks sarcastically and Novilene glared at the phone in hatred. " ** _A little running around, getting our pulses racing. Are you there, Cheryl?"_** She gave Cheryl a look of don't answer his question. ** _"Are you there!? Tell me you didn't feel a slight tingle, a thrill run up your spine. Huh? But those clever and cunning FBI Agents deduced my little plan just in time. They figured it out. If they hadn't, I would have had you both and kill Jay next, the love of your life."_** Jay clenching his hand into a fist that he's going to captured Cheryl and kill him next. **_"The whole set. The matching pair."_**

"Why are you doing this? Jay hasn't done anything wrong." Cheryl asks the Unsub as she holds Jay's hands tightly.

 ** _"Because you asked me to, Cheryl. You asked me with your glances."_** She looks confused and stared down the phone. **_"The way you talk. Those little gestures."_** Novilene pressed the mute button and couldn't bear to hear it anymore.

"What are you doing?" She stared at Novilene in disbelief expressions.

"Do not answer this man." Novilene warned her.

 **"You asked for this! You asked for it, Cheryl!"** He exclaimed angrily.

"Cher-" Cheryl shoved Novilene's hands away and letting go of Jay's hand.

"What do you want!?" Cheryl asks angrily.

 ** _"What do I want!? You! It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow but I promise you, we will be together. Right after I kill your beloved Jay."_** She ends up the call.

Jay slumps down the chair and rubbing his face. He couldn't believe this man is crazy in love with Cheryl and use Trish to lure her out. Novilene comforted Jay knowing that she's here for him and do anything in her abilities to capture the Unsub and save Trish.

* * *

Gideon, Novilene and Reid are in the library room to talked Cheryl, Jay and Davenport about the Unsub.

"We can't let Cheryl speak with him any further that also includes Novilene." Gideon spoke up.

"Why not?" Cheryl asks Gideon and wondering why he won't allow Novilene to do the same thing.

"It's only feeding his psychosis to allow your interaction." Novilene explained and twiddling her thumbs when she's in deep thought.

"Was Trish involved in any serious relationships prior to the kidnapping?" Reid asks curiously.

"With the boy that was killed." Davenport answered as Novilene noticed the nervous look of Cheryl and Jay. "They were together for 2 years."

"Trish didn't want us to tell you." Cheryl spoke up and stared at her father. "They were getting engaged."

Novilene sighs mentally and understands Trish's feelings. Seeing their boyfriend died right in front of them as she closes her eyes to calm herself down.

"Well, that certainly could have been the Unsub's stressor." Gideon commented.

"What does that mean?" Jay asks them.

"Will someone please tell me what we're dealing with here?" Davenport demanded and Novilene stared at Jay's eyes filled with worried and angry.

"De Clerambault's syndrome, otherwise known as erotomania the belief that someone, usually of higher social status but not necessarily a celebrity, is in love with you." Reid explained and Novilene decided to spoke up as well.

"Erotomanics believe that the objects of their affection are subtly professing their love for them through looks, gestures and glances." She paused and licked her lips slightly. "He said, **'you asked me with your glances'**."

"The Unsub truly and fully-heartedly believes that Cheryl and Trish are in love with him. They don't tell him this with their voices. No, with gestures and looks. He's obsessed with them."

"That also explains why he killed Trish boyfriend and now he's going to kill you next, Uncle Jay. You took her away from him like how Trish boyfriend did as well." Jay sighs heavily that he agreed with her opinion.

"What does this mean?" Davenport asks and looks confused together with Cheryl while Jay manages to catch up on what they're talking about.

"He is the most determined kind of criminal." Gideon answered.

* * *

Novilene is munching one of her favorite food, melon bread while listening to their conversation.

"Crime obsession. Your specialty, your lead, Morgan." Hotch ordered Morgan.

"I think we should recheck everyone on Davenport's staff against the profile of a stalker." Morgan pointed out.

"Aren't stalking behaviors pretty diverse?" Elle asks him curiously.

"There's overlap. Narcissistic, inflated sense of self-worth, history of bad relationships." He explained.

"What do we know so far?" Novilene asks and finishing the last piece of melon bread. She opens the plastic container full of rice and beef that her Uncle Jay cooked for her late dinner. Jay knows her since they were children and her appetite is always huge compares to him.

"He's probably white, obviously male... sophisticated speech patterns." Morgan and Novilene hum in response as she eats her late dinner.

"Sophisticated, yet bizarre. He rarely uses contractions." Gideon pointed out. "It's not **'your'** it's **'you are'**."

"This guy's pretentious. He wants to sound smarter than he actually is. Whatever position of authority or level of success this guy has, he had to struggle for it." Morgan commented.

"We also have to face the possibility at this point..."Hotch spoke up.

"That Trish may already be dead." Elle finished the thought.

"I don't believe that Trish is dead." Novilene spoke up right after she swallowed her food then pointing her fork at Elle. "He won't kill Trish not until he gets Cheryl. It'll be like killing two birds with one stone." The young woman continues eating her food again as Reid observing her. It isn't surprising that she had a huge appetite.

"You know, so far he's called everyday." Morgan commented and suggested something. "I say we apply pressure, make him sweat."

"Well, there's only one way to do that." She finished her food and eating her strawberries next. "Unc-"

"Hey, Seren-" Jay stopped seeing their serious expression and made a bad timing to interrupt their meeting. "I'll talk to you guys later." He turned around and trying to leave.

"Hold up! Jason Dave Cruz." She chokes her own strawberries and coughs as Reid patted her back gently. "Thanks. On a scale of 1-10, how are you feeling?"

"8." Jay answered truthfully and snatching her strawberries ignoring her whining. "I'm trying my best to be strong for Cheryl and her dad. "

"Everything will be alright, Jason." Morgan assured him and feels weird that her Uncle has the same name as Gideon.

"It's Jay, I don't want to get you guys confused who Jason you referring to." He corrected the man and stared at Novilene's face closely. "You have this look."

"What look?" She smiled innocently and blinking her eyes as the team stared at them with an amused expression.

"This look." Jay gestured his own face. "I'm going to annoy someone till I get what I want a thing."

"Did I mention how much I love you?" She squeaks as Jay pinching her cheeks. "Stopy itsh hurties!"

"Whatever your plan is, don't get me to involve by your shenanigans of yours." Jay stopped pinching her cheeks and stared at Gideon in pleading looked. "Please stop your daughter if she goes too far."

"I can't promise you that, Jay." Gideon spoke up smiling sheepishly at him. "You're her Uncle and we both know that Novilene is quite unpredictable sometimes."

"Yeah, and she'll be the first person who's giving us a white or grey hair early." He sighs heavily and patted her head. "I always wonder how much stomach you have... how much have you eaten?"

"She ate 6 melon bread, 1/2 of rice with beef and 10 strawberries." Reid answered and Jay blinks his eyes then gaped at him in a surprised looked.

"You must be Spencer- hmph!" Novilene shoved the strawberries inside of his mouth.

"Go after your girlfriend." She jumps off the table and pushing him away from them leaving the others chuckled and confused expression from Reid.

* * *

The phone rings just when Davenport is about to answer, Gideon, stops him from answering the call. "Hold on, hold on, hold on."

Novilene raises her hand and ended the call as Jay already knew what their plan is.

"What are you doing?" Davenport asks Novilene as she ignores him then the phone rings again. "Agent Cruz..."

Novilene decided to call. "Hello?" In a low tone.

 ** _"Tell me there was a technical issue with the line because if you actually just hung up on m-"_** She ended the call.

"What the hell are you doing?" Davenport stared at Novilene in disbelief expression.

"Aren't you going to answer it?" Cheryl asks when the phone rings again.

"Why is she doing this? What is she-what- you're gonna drive this guy crazy. Just-"

"I need silence, Sir." Novilene told Davenport and stared at him. "I know what I'm doing."

Cheryl couldn't take it anymore as Jay hold her in his arms. "Cher, Serenity knows what she's doing."

"Somebody has to answer it!" Cheryl exclaimed and stared at Jay in hurtful expression. "Why did you let her do it!"

"Just answer the phone, for God's sake!" Davenport exclaimed angrily. "Pick up the phone!" Morgan, Hotch stopped him to picking up the phone.

"Don't touch it!" Novilene spoke up and slaps his hands.

"She knows what she's doing." Morgan assured him.

"Davenport residence and how may I help you?" Novilene spoke up in a fake cheerful tone.

 ** _"Are you out of your mind? You do realize, you do understand, that I'll kill her!?"_** He asks angrily. **_"Do you-"_** Novilene ended up the call.

The phone rings again as she smirked in a cold expression. "You're killing my daughter! Pick up that phone!" Davenport screamed at Novilene as Morgan stopped him to grab her.

"Get him quiet." Novilene ordered them. "Mr Davenport, get a hold of yourself."

"Answer the phone!"

"Quiet him!" The father and daughter cried as Jay doesn't even know whether to smack his niece into her senses or not. Novilene accepts the call again.

 ** _"She is dead!"_** The Unsub declared as Cheryl cried into Jay's arm while Novilene didn't believe his lies. **_"You hang up on me again, and I rip her open!"_**

"I'm sorry. You must have the wrong number." Novile spoke in a fake apologizing as she ended the call.

"Come on, Mini Gideon." Morgan muttered.

"You killed her." Davenport spoke up in a hurtful tone. "Jay, how could you let your niece do it?"

"Evan and Cheryl, Serenity didn't kill Trish." Jay assured them.

"Oh, yeah. Then what - what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"She's saving your daughter, Mr Davenport." Gideon answered as the phone rings again. "Have a little faith."

"And hope." Novilene added as she accepts the call.

 ** _"Put Cheryl on the phone."_** The Unsub demanded.

"No, you're finished talking to Cheryl." Gideon spoke up this time instead of his daughter.

He scoffed. **_"Listen to that tone of authority. Just like your published work, Agent Gideon. Fascinating to hear the same arrogant quality in your own voice. You are a bit of a pedant, Jason, a bit of didactic?"_**

"Well, that's a very interesting conclusion. You sound intelligent, and you certainly sounded educated, and.." He exhales. "We both know that's not true."

 ** _"Oh, I know all about all of you?"_** Novilene raises her eyebrow that she's getting close to knowing the Unsub is. **_"The ambitious Agent Hotchner? Do you wanna be the Director of the FBI someday? Agent Hotchner? Would you step on Jason Gideon to get there? I think you would. Post-traumatic stress is a very good excuse. Even your sick, pregnant wife can't get you to leave your post."_**

 ** _"Jason Gideon, an expert in the Criminal psyche yet unable to diagnose the autistic leanings of the very insecure Dr. Reid. Well, maybe he can make money counting cards in Las Vegas."_**

 ** _"Let's not forget your Novilene Cruz, or should I say, Novilene Gideon, the little Ms Demon Captain of London Metropolitan Police fear of everyone. Always ordering someone to do your work before you quit and joining your daddy dearest. Faking your documents that you're 22 years old but you're actually 17 years old."_** Jay cringed as Novilene snaps the pen by using one hand.

 ** _"The lovely Elle was promoted too soon. She doesn't have what it takes to make it in the BAU Boys Club. You're no threat to me, you're no threat to anyone."_** Elle looked angry the same as Novilene and they both have thinking the same thing. They'll be going to show him that they're not in damsel in distress.

 ** _"And Token Derek Morgan wants to be taken seriously but he is just a pumped-up side of beef."_** Morgan just shrugged and stepping back away from Novilene that she's obviously in a bad mood for the Unsub bad mouthing her and assuming she's doing fake documents to get in the London Metropolitan Police before BAU. **_"I know who are you, I know how you think and I know what to do next! Do you?"_** He hangs up the call.

"What the hell was that?" Davenport asks them demandingly. "Why did he say that he knows what to do next? Is he gonna hurt my daughter?"

"He was grandstanding." Gideon spoke up and handing Novilene a tissue for breaking the pen as her hand stain with blue ink.

"You don't know that." Morgan stops Davenport to walk closer towards Gideon. "You-you can't possibly know that."

"Mr Davenport, I have learned more in the last 5 minutes than in the last 24 hours. Even my daughter learned as well." Gideon answered in a soft tone.

"Oh, really? Well, I don't understand. Why is he focused on you right now?" He asks them.

"Because we are interfering in his relationships with the girls and prevents Jay to get himself killed." Morgan commented.

"He said he knows all about you."

"Yes, apparently." Hotch agreed at Davenport's words.

"He profiled us, Mr Davenport." Morgan pointed out.

"Why would he do that?" Cheryl asks them.

"To show us how smart he is." Elle answered.

"Often times the best profilers are the Unsub's themselves. They're the ones able to walk into an arcade full of children and pinpoint the boy or girl that can be led out quietly." Reid explained.

"But he made a mistake, because he gave us something he didn't expect." Novilene pointed out and smirked coldly.

"Which is?" Davenport asks them.

"He told us how to find him." Gideon answered.

* * *

"You said you knew how to find him, that you were gonna save my daughter." He steps closer to Gideon. "Why don't you get out there and do something? What are you- everybody's standing around here, looking-"

"Mr Davenport-" Gideon trying to calm Davenport down.

"Don't condescend to me. Don't patronize me."

"Evan, Evan. Evan." Agent Shyher stopped Davenport as Novilene stared at him with a serious expression. "Everybody is doing the best that they can. Come on. Come on. Take a break, come on." He drags him away from them.

"For the suspect to know that much about us he has to be one of us." Morgan spoke up.

"I'm gonna have Garcia do a search of the New Haven FBI Field office." Hotch spoke up and Novilene started to connect the dots. "The guy we're looking for knows this house, he knows the family."

"There's 700 Agents in New Haven and another 70 in satellite offices. Davenport knows quite a few of them." Reid pointed out.

"While we're narrowing the list, Cheryl and Jay can't stay here. If he's one of us, he has access, weapons and you bet he's got a strategy." Elle pointed out.

"So who can we trust?" Morgan asks.

"No one. We need to get Chery and Jay to a safe house." Hotch spoke up.

"And limit the number of Agents she comes in contact with."

Cheryl, Jay, Elle, Morgan and few of the Agents left to stay at the safe house. Novilene immediately destroying the phone and grabbing the listening device as she leaves the confuse Reid while Gideon approaching Davenport while holding the cup.

"I'm, uh, sorry about before." Davenport apologizes for his aggressive behavior.

"It's your daughters. You-" He puffs out in the air. "You don't have to apologize for anything. If I was in your position, I would've done the same thing."

"Your daughter is a strong woman." Davenport spoke up and remembering Jay's proud expression whenever he mentions about Novilene. "Jay spoke highly of her and saying he's proud to be her Uncle."

"Her mother sides family adored Novilene and-"

"Dad!" Novilene throws the listening device in his direction and he caught it with ease. "Agent Shyer is our Unsub and they're both in danger!"

"How did you know?" Davenport asks the young woman with a surprised expression.

"Why would Agent Shyer left when we need him? His voice is almost exactly the same when he called us. The way he glared at Jay filled with jealousy and wanting to kill him, whenever he's close to your daughter, Sir." Novilene explained and calling Elle. "Elle, Shyer is the Unsub and give him the taste of his own medicine."

 ** _"Copy that._** " Elle smirked and glancing at Jay staring at her with confusion.

* * *

Novilene hums that they already found Trish inside of the abandoned garage. Jay sending a thankful look from her, Gideon and Reid as it closes the door to head to the hospital.

"Hey, dad." Gideon stared at Novilene. "I'm glad that it's finally over and Cheryl didn't lose her sister."

"Me too." Gideon agreed with her as he patted her shoulder.

"Hey, how did Elle get Shyre to give us Trish's location?" Reid asks curiously as Novilene giggled like a teenager.

"I imagine she found some creative way to persuade him." Gideon knew why his daughter is giggling.

"What do you think-"

"Oh, Spen." Novilene spoke up and shaking her head. "You just don't need to ask so many questions. Let's... just enjoy the moment."

"You won't tell me? Why are you giggling?" He stared at him in confusion.

"I have nothing to say~" Novilene sang as she walked away happily.

"Your daughter is very chirpy." Reid commented and couldn't understand the girl's behavior.


	8. Chapter 6 LDSK (Episode 6)

**_It's hard to deal with twin's case because it reminds me so much of my dead sister, Angelique. I haven't met her but heard from my mom she died after we born. I was the one who came first before her and somehow- I feel like it's my fault she died because I came first. Mama always assures me it's not my fault because it happens sometimes to a woman who's going to give birth to a child._**

 ** _I always think what would Angelique look like. Is she going to be my identical twin sister? Or maybe fraternal twins? Either way, I'm going to love her. Unfortunately, she's not with us but watching us from heaven._**

 ** _Spen is always sticking to my side because he heard my twin dead sister and comfort me by rubbing my back or stroking my head. He never asks about my sister which I'm quite grateful and willing to wait whenever I'm ready. He never been a pushy type of person and always respects me.~Novilene Cruz_**

 **Bang!**

 **Bang!**

Novilene cringed seeing Reid's shooting range that he hadn't shot any targets only outside of the picture. Hotch wanted her to tagged along with them and secretly hoping it would bring Reid motivation.

"On S.W.A.T, we broke shots down into 3 steps. One- front sight. Focus on the front sight, not on the target. 2-controlled trigger press. 3- follow through. After the shot, you come right back to the target." Hotch explained to Reid.

"Now, what did you do wrong?" Novilene asks in a soft tone towards the sandy brown-haired man. It didn't take long for Reid to answered it as he knows his mistakes.

"I didn't follow through." Reid answered and feeling embarrassed that he couldn't shoot well like Novilene or the others.

"Right. You came off the target to see where you hit." Hotch pointed out as Novilene couldn't help but agreed with him.

"Hotch, my firearms qualification is tomorrow morning." Reid spoke up and placing the gun down on the table. "I barely passed my last one."

"Cruz?" Hotch asks the young woman as she shrugged and going to demonstrate it to Reid.

"You're overthinking too much, Spen." Novilene commented and grabbing the gun hiding inside of her white blazer. "Front sight, trigger press..." She hit the 5X right on the spot as Reid stared at her with a surprised expression. "Follow through. You do those 3 things, you'll hit your target everytime." She puts her gun back inside of her left hoster.

Reid tried again as Novilene cringed more that he misses the targets again. Novilene had a feeling he's going to fail the test tomorrow.

"Did Elle teach you that?" Hotch questioned Reid.

"They're gonna take away my gun." Reid spoke up and closing his eyes in disappointment.

"A profiler is not required to carry." He informed him and Novilene remained silent.

"Yeah? And yet you carry 2 of them." Reid pointed out.

"I carried 4." Novilene spoke up and earned her disbelief looks from the two men. "What? For emergency purposes!"

"How did you hide your 3 guns?" Hotch asks her curiously and surprised that Gideon wasn't bluffing when he told him that his daughter carried 4 guns, not 2.

"2 hiding inside of my boots and the other 1 hidden one of my secret pockets inside of my white blazer." She explained and shrugged as if it was normal for her to carry more than 2.

"Gideon wasn't bluffing then." He muttered and she laughs sheepishly as Hotch grab the gun, hiding of his left leg then shoot. "When I joined the BAU, Gideon said to me, **'you don't have to carry a gun to kill someone'**."

"I don't get it." Reid spoke up and removing the earmuffs.

"You will and even Cruz knows." He glanced at Novilene and she nodded her head in agreement. "Good luck tomorrow." Leaving the two young people behind.

"How did you clearly hit the target, Lenny?" Reid asks curiously. "You hit right through the main target and I missed it."

"I clear my head and never think too much of the consequences." Novilene spoke up and smiling at him. "You always think for failing this test and that's the cause of missing the target." She patted his shoulder. "Calm yourself down and I'm sure you'll pass it."

Novilene leaves Reid alone and knowing him, he's going to ignore her advice and failed the test. She did help him out to train his gun shooting and it's all up to Reid to ace the tests.

* * *

Novilene predicted it right, Spencer Reid failed the shooting test. She knew that Reid was nervous and compromise the test. Novilene spinning the pen using her hands as her father leaves his office.

"Spen failed his qualification." Novilene informed Gideon with a solemn look on her face. She did everything to help Reid out and he failed it.

"He can re-test in 2 weeks." Gideon assured Novilene and knowing it's not her fault that Reid failed his test.

"I know but I'm pretty sure that he's going to be embarrassed about it, so let's not mention it." Novilene giving her father and Elle a piece of advice before giving Morgan a look.

"Yeah, let's not." Gideon agreed with her.

"Not a word." Morgan commented and raising his arms up. He saw Reid coming in and hiding the whistle behind his back. Novilene is looking at Morgan while narrowing her gaze. "Hey." He greeted Reid as his desk is across from Novilene. "We're all here for you. I'm serious." Novilene biting her lips and wanting to bang Morgan's head. "If you ever need anything..." Morgan let Reid wear the whistle around his neck then blowing it. "Just blow on that."

Novilene sighs angrily and pinching the bridge of her nose. "Remind me to have revenge on Morgan later?" She stands up and removing the whistle around Reid's neck. "Ignore him and don't let him get into you."

"He-" He sighs heavily and slumps down the chair. Reid screwed up the tests and feeling awful because Novilene is helping him out.

"Hey..." Novilene grabs Reid's hand and grips it gently. "Everything is going to be alright, I have faith in you. I failed the shooting tests 3 times."

"You do?" Reid asks in his disbelief expression as Elle smiled, seeing Novilene is comforting him.

"Yeah, but on the 4th time of shooting test... I passed the test." She smiled and squeezed his hand one more time before letting go. "I'll tell you half of my story, soon."

"Promise?"

"Promise." She linked her pinky fingers at his. "I always keep my promise and never break it." Novilene smiled at him as he returned the gesture as well.

"Okay, Franklin Park, Des Plaines, yesterday afternoon." JJ came inside of the bullpen as she handed the manila folder of her team. "3 victims shot at distance. It's third such shooting in 2 weeks."

"A sniper?" Elle asks curiously when she flip over the documents.

"We don't use that word." Morgan spoke up while reading the files.

"Why not?" Novilene asks curiously and wondering why they don't use that word.

"The public perception is that the FBI doesn't have an exemplary record with snipers." JJ explained to Elle and Novilene.

"Besides, a sniper is a professional marksman. These guys aren't snipers." Hotch pointed out.

"What do we call 'em then?" Elle asks and slumping down the chair as Novilene reads the files.

"L.D.S.K."

"Long Distance Serial Killers." Reid answered before Novilene had a chance to ask what it means.

"How many of these guys have we caught using a profile?" Novilene asks Reid curiously.

"None but you on the other hand. you caught L.D.S.K before joining us." Gideon answered as Novilene slouching down more wanting to hide under her desk to ignore their surprised looks. "We need your experience of how you caught them before."

"I've never told you what I did to my previous cases because it's classified information." She immediately sitting up and wondering how Gideon manages to know everything about her.

"Your previous Captain Vargas did." He smirked and she banged her head on the table.

* * *

"2 weeks, 3 shooting incidents, 6 victims, all shot in the abdomen." Hotch explained to his team when they're having a brief room by themselves. "First and fatality, Henry Sachs, married, father of 3, was shot in a shopping center parking lot. 9 days later, Doug Miller and Keven Parks were playing basketball at a community center. Franklin Park, 4 days later, Jerry Middleton, Kate Murray and Tim Reilly. Des Plaines Police have found no link between any of the victims." He showed them each other victims picture through the screen.

"Ballistics?" Morgan asks curiously.

"He's using frangible rounds, which fragment on impact, making ballistics comparisons impossible."

"The good news is that all the Park victims are gonna make it. The bad news is that none of them saw anything. However, one of the patients does have an intact bullet lodge in his spine." JJ explained to everyone.

"If they remove the slug in his spine, there's a 50-50% chance that he can be paralyzed forever or not." Novilene spoke up and clasping her hands together. "I believe that the Doctors are having a disagreement?"

"Yes, you are right, Novy." JJ was taken back by her intelligent and forgetting that she was a former Doctor. "There's a disagreement among surgical staff as to whether they can remove the slug without paralyzing the patient."

"Well, without a useful witness or a solid piece of forensic evidence..." Morgan muttered.

"All the profile's all we'll have." Hotch finished the sentence in grim expression then stared at Novilene. "What have you experience when you caught them?"

"The sni- I mean the L.D.S.K was usually worked from the Army, Agent or Police before going on a rogue to kill someone." Novilene spoke up and stared at Hotch. "They are sneaky and hard to catch them, especially they have sharp eyes. Let's also not forget that it's rare to have L.D.S.K murder."

"How did you caught them?" Elle asks curiously.

"I caught the paper, the list of names when I fought him by myself before. That man wanted to get revenge for someone who humiliates him." She pointed out. "It had been slipped out by his pocket and knew the next target."

"He's an idiot for having the list with him." Morgan commented and realize something. "How did you fought him?"

"I learned mixed martial arts and I'm more of a physical than using guns." She smiled sheepishly at them. "Looks can be deceiving, Morgan." Novilene knows the look on Morgan's expression of why she's fit but can fight.

"After this case, why don't you and I spare?" He suggested and couldn't believe that she could be fought a criminal by herself without any backup.

"This should be interesting." Gideon whispered and remembering that she throws Ethan off the mat when they're having a spare one time.

* * *

 **|| Paula, Newsome ||**

"L.D.S.K's are so rare as what Cruz mentioned, we haven't been able to build a standard profile. Here's what we do know: they're always male, and they frequently have law enforcement or military experience, and they always contact the police or the media." Hotch explained to his team.

"To take credit or relive the experience?" JJ asks curiously when she's seating right next to Novilene.

"Both." Gideon answered. "All serial killers attempt to relive the ecstasy they get from their killings. Novilene." He stared at her.

"Right." She was startled when Gideon asks her opinion. "Some use souvenirs taken from the victims, and others return to the dumpsite to interact with the body. Both modes require contact with the victim, contact which by definition long-distance serial killers don't have." Novilene explained as she studying the documents in deep thought. Seeing the pictures of a teenager, her heart aches to remember her younger brother, Alex, is at Caltech to do his nursing course.

"The beltway shooters left a tarot card at one of their crime scenes." Hotch commented. "Later they called a tip hotline, which ultimately led to their capture."

"But our Unsub hasn't contact anybody." Morgan pointed out.

"He will."

"Until he does, what do we have?" Elle asks curiously to them.

"Sometimes it's not what the Unsub does that reveals the profile. Sometimes it is what they do not do." Gideon spoke up.

"He doesn't kill his victims." Reid pointed out.

"Underkill's a unique signature."

"The next question is does he shoot them in the stomach intentionally just to wound them, or is he just aiming at the biggest part of the target?" Hotch questioned and even Novilene couldn't answer that question. "Specifically, does the Unsub lack the skill to make the headshot, or simply the will to take it?"

* * *

"Come on, Barry, you don't know that!"

Novilene, JJ, Gideon and Elle decided to go to the hospital to interview one of the victims while Hotch, Morgan and Reid are going on a crime scene.

"Good morning, Doctors." The woman greeted the two men.

"Forgive us. We were just reviewing the cases at hand." The man in a suit spoke up.

"This is Dr. Neil Erstadt, Chief of surgery, and our trauma specialist, Dr. Barry Landman." She introduced the two men in front of them. "These are the FBI profilers, Agents Gideon, Jareau, Greenaway and Cruz."

"How are you?" Gideon shakes his hand to Dr. Erstadt and Dr. Landman.

"Forgive me. I don't shake." Dr. Ladman spoke up and ignoring Gideon's hand. "My hands, you understand?"

"Of course." He smiled slightly and respected his wishes while Novilene immediately hated him already for being too much of an ego person.

"So as psychological profilers, what exactly are you looking for?" He asks curiously.

"How the victims were shot. That could reveal the shooter's signature behavior." Gideon explained to the Trauma Specialist.

"These separate wound channels blossom from the entrance wounds." Dr. Erstadt spoke up and examine the MRI scan. "You can see the trauma's extensive."

"You performed the surgeries?" Novilene asks curiously as she examined the MRI scan with her serious expression.

"On patient Miller. I consulted with Dr. Landman on the others. The intact slug lodged between the 14-15 vertebrae."

"One small move could cause a patient to paralyze forever. It's a huge risk to remove the bullet out from his back." Novilene explained after observing the MRI scan.

"Yes, how did you know about this?" He was amazed by her intelligent.

"I'm a former Paediatrician Doctor and I have a friend who used to perform this surgery before. I take it you guys are having a disagreement with this surgery?" She glances back at the two men and ignoring their bewilderment looks. They are surprised to see a former prodigy Paediatrician Doctor right in front of them.

"Yes." Dr. Landman agreed with her questions. "With the right surgeon, there is no risk."

"There's always a risk as to what she said." Dr. Erstadt spoke up as Novilene couldn't help but silently agreed with him. Being a former Doctor like herself, there's always a risk when it comes to patient's life.

"What significance does the bullet have in building a profile?" The woman asks the FBI curiously.

"Well, even if we can't get a ballistics match, we can get a rifle type, and the specific type of rifle the suspect uses, that could be very significant to the profile." Gideon answered the question from the woman.

"You believe you can safely perform the surgery, Dr. Landman?" She asks the trauma specialist.

"I know I can." Dr. Landman answered in a determined tone with a cocky expression that Novilene hated it much.

* * *

"If I'm the Unsub, why do I shoot my victims between 2:55 and 3:15?" Elle asks as the four of them are having a private room to themselves by discussing the L.D.S.K case.

"That's when I'd do it. There are fewer cops on the street." Novilene answered when she twirls her pen as usual when it comes to thinking.

"Why is that?"

"Well, the police overlap shifts so there's always someone minding the store. The second shift starts at 3:00, first shift walks at 3:30."

"I actually forgot that you're a former Captain in London. That's actually a huge achievement you got there, Nov." She chuckled as Novilene smiled shyly at her accomplishments.

"Wouldn't there be twice as many cops on the street at that time?" JJ asks the young woman.

"The first half-hour of your shift, you're in roll call. You're not on the street. And the last half-hour, you're at the station. You're finishing reports, you're booking prisoners, so the 25 minutes around the first/second shift, that's a bad guy's golden window." Novilene explained to the blonde Liaison.

"How many people outside law enforcement would know that? But the Unsub does, and you've already thought of this." Elle pointed out.

"I had considered it." Gideon answered and Novilene hums in response, agreeing with him.

Dr. Landman appeared wearing blue scrubs and placing down the bullet with a small plastic. He usually showed his cocky expression and Novilene despises someone who has a huge ego.

"Hope you find it useful." Dr. Landman spoke up at Gideon and right before he's going to leave.

"Dr. Landman?" Dr. Landman stops walking and stared at the man. "How's Mr. Middleton?" Gideon asks curiously about the victim's well-being.

"Patient will make a full recovery as I told you he would." He bragged then winking at Novilene then leaving them alone.

Novilene cringed in disgust as she shakes her head vigorously to remove the image of him winking at her. Elle chuckled and hugging the shaking girl. Gideon stared in amused and wasn't surprised that few of the men fall for her beauty especially she's a half Asian.

"Radiology is set up to take photos and email them out for consults." JJ spoke up and stared at Novilene in sympathy expression.

"Call Hotch. We're getting the bullet to Garcia." Gideon ordered Elle. "Fill him in on the shift change theory."

* * *

"Elle, are you not going to report my file if I slap Dr. Landman if he dares to do something stupid on me?" Novilene asks her curiously as Elle pretends to think about it.

"No, I'll be watching and pretend that I don't know you." Elle answered and shaking her head slightly to focus back on the crime scene. "3 more victims with nonfatal wounds, and it's only been 48 hours since the last shooting."

"The media attention and the FBI presence will only escalate his desire to shoot again." Gideon pointed out.

"Meaning?" Detective Calvin asks the man.

"This is gonna get much worse." Novilene answered with a grim expression

"Then we need to give the police a profile immediately." JJ suggested. "You ready?"

"State troopers. This is the second time he's crossed jurisdictions." Elle pointed out.

"Yeah, we're ready. They're not gonna like it." Gideon spoke up.

Novilene sighs heavily and couldn't help but agreed with her father. This Unsub was a former army and Novilene knew it because it would take a lot of practice to shoot using sniper far distance by killing someone. They haven't figured out who the Unsub is and Novilene had a feeling that something terrible is going to happen that she's not going to like it.

* * *

"This initial profile is not ready to be given to the media." JJ announced in front of the Police officers and Detectives. "Releasing this profile prematurely can get people killed."

Hotch step forward as JJ let him take the talk to inform everyone what they got so far before letting Novilene explained the rest. "We're looking for a 30 to a 40-year-old male veteran, driving a car large enough to shoot from, but not so large it was noticed. Like the beltway shooter, it's probably a sedan, customized to conceal the shooter, his weapon, and the sound of his shoot. The Unsub suffers from both narcissistic and paranoid personality disorders. He works out obsessively and is never without a weapon." Hotch explained and giving Novilene a look to stand right next to him.

She stands right next to him and stared at everyone in a serious expression. "He's completely self-centered and cannot sympathize with others. Incapable of admitting fault, he blames his shortcomings on those around him. He has no friends and his career history has been marked by frequent job changes." She explained and mentally sighs heavily. "He's drawn to high-stakes jobs by a need to prove his superiority to a world he perceives has undervalued him, and these shootings are the ultimate expression of that need."

"We believe he changes jurisdictions intentionally and strikes during the first-second shift change, indicating an intimate knowledge of law enforcement."

"You're saying he's one of us?" One of the police officers asks curiously.

"We're saying he once was or is now a police officer." Hotch answered.

"Is he driving a white van, too?" Everyone chuckled.

"Enough." Sergeant Weigart stopped them. "That'll be all for now. We can talk in my office."

"Thank you." Hotch thanked the police officers for listening to them. He and JJ are following Sergeant Weigart and Detective Calvin.

Novilene approached Gideon and sighs heavily as she crosses her arms then leaning on the desk. Gideon noticed a distressed looked at his daughter and decided to talk with her.

"You're thinking about Alex?" Gideon asks his daughter when he stops writing.

"Yeah, seeing how the Unsub killed the victims, few of them are same age of Alex." Novilene answered and playing her small gold cross necklace. "I'll be alright if we catch him."

"You're one of the bravest person, Mulan. Don't ever forget that." He patted her hands gently then Reid approached them in solemn expression. "How are you holding up?" He asks Reid.

"Look at me. Without a gun on my belt, I look like a teacher's assistant." Reid answered and sighs heavily.

"You're not worried about how you look." He stands up and holding the paper.

"Hotch told me that when he came to the B.A.U, you told him he didn't need a gun to kill somebody?"

"Well, the only truly effective weapon we have is our ability to do the one thing they can't." Novilene stared at the window in dark expression. Reminiscing her past when she used to join the IMF and killed someone for survival.

"Which is what?"

"Empathize. They dehumanize their victims. We humanize the killers." Gideon explained to the young man.

"You're just saying that to convince me, I don't need to carry a gun."

"I don't care you carry a gun or not. The deadliest weapon we have is a thorough and accurate profile."

"Of course you believe that."

"Footpath killer, he had a shotgun in the back of my head. I'm here, he's not." Novilene closes her eyes to forget what she's been through before.

 ** _"I love you, Serenity... I want you to move on."_**

Zack's last words echoing through her mind when he took the bullet for her. She jumped and is about to take someone's arm. Noticing it's Reid and she sighs heavily. "Reid, you scared me. I would've to flip you over my shoulder by now."

"Sorry, it seems like you spaced out... is everything okay?" He asks worriedly and noticed she's in deep thought.

"Yeah, it's just that..." She sighs heavily and smiling sadly at him. "I'm just worried about my brother, Alex. Seeing those victims same age as him, I can't help myself but worried about him."

"It's normal for an older sister to be worried about their younger siblings." Reid assured her and she smiled lightly. "High school student or college student? I remembered that you wrote an essay about himself when he asked you a favor."

"College student and scholarship at Caltech." Novilene spoke in a proud tone. "He wanted to become a nurse and I support his decision. Ethan and my stepdad supported Alex's decision as well."

"Caltech?" He blinks his eyes in a surprised expression. Reid assumes that her younger brother, Alex, will follow his sister footsteps going to Oxford University. "I've been there at Caltech, before."

"Really?" She gaped at him in a surprised tone. "Wow, what a coincidence. Maybe you could give Alex a few tips about Caltech? When we have free time?"

"Sure, definitely." He rambled and smiled that she's feeling better.

* * *

Novilene rub her right sore shoulder when Morgan pushed her towards Reid when they heard the shot. They haven't found the Unsub and wondering how did McCarty end up playing the Unsub? McCarty is dead before they had a chance to ask him a few questions.

"How did McCarty end up playing the Unsub?" JJ asks curiously and Novilene wondered the same thing.

"Weigart punished McCarty for mouthing off during the profile briefing by making him the Unsub and sticking him in the trunk of the car all afternoon." Detective Calvin explained the FBI Agents.

"Wait. Then how did the Unsub find out about the reenactment?"

"Come on. Cops talk." Morgan pointed out. "Pissed-off cops talk loud- at home, at the bars, at gyms, and to anyone who'll listen."

"What do we know?" Gideon asks out loud from his thoughts. "Our Unsub went from wounding civilian to executing a police officer, so he's escalated."

"He's not staying on script." Novilene commented and crossing her arms while ignoring the sore of her shoulder.

"Sometimes it's what they don't do." Hotch pointed out.

"He did not pick McCarty at random." Reid spoke up.

"He didn't take the gutshot." Morgan added.

"Why?" Novilene asks and tilted her head. "He wants to send a message. **'Nobody takes credit for my work'**."

"Correct, Novilene." Gideon agreed with her opinion. "His ego won't allow it. He feels underappreciated."

"Okay, but we still don't know why he wounds them." Elle pointed out.

"We know if the killer has no contact with his victims, he will contact the media." Novilene realizes something.

"But he hasn't contacted the media."

"The Unsub contact with his victims." Novilene spoke up.

"And there's only one way." Hotch commented and stared at his team.

"Garcia nailed down the geographic profile." Morgan announced to everyone. "The crime scenes are centered on 2 separate locations."

"The hospitals."

* * *

Novilene is seating on the back seat right next to Reid when everyone is heading towards the hospital.

"I believe it's a case of hero homicide." Gideon told Detective Calvin.

"What's that?" Detective Calvin asks curiously.

"The best-known case was hospital nurse Richard Angelo." Novilene and Reid answered together. "He would inject toxins into his victims, then wait for them to crash so that he could run to the rescue and save them."

"He killed 25 people, and that's just what we know of." Reid added and smiled sheepishly at Novilene that they're doing it again.

"If he attacked 'em to save 'em, why'd he kill 25 people?" Detective Calvin asks curiously.

"Wasn't very good at it." Gideon answered.

"Yeah, and hospitals don't keep records of people who almost died." Novilene commented.

"So what's the profile on one of these guys?" Detective Calvin asks and completely looks loss of their ideas. He has no clue who the Unsub is.

"Arrogant, conceited, feels superior to everyone around them. I met worse Surgeon before and thank goodness I was just a former Paediatrician Doctor, not a Surgeon." Sighing heavily and patted her chests.

"You've just described every surgeon I've ever met." She chuckled. "Wait, you're a former Doctor? Your that famous Doctor Novilene Cruz?"

"Yes, how did you know?" She asks curiously and was surprised that she's a former famous Doctor.

"You save my nephew's life before and I'm very grateful for what you did." She smiled in the rearview as Novilene returned with a shy smile.

Novilene and Gideon thinking of the same man they met back at the hospital, Dr. Barry Landman. Novilene, however, thinks that Landmand is not the L.D.S.K but someone.

"Landman." Gideon muttered and grabbing his phone to contact someone. "Let's start with Landman."

* * *

"Ok. Courtesy of Garcia." Morgan spoke up when he received a document from the tech analyst. "Landman was an army, started out in M.P School."

"Well, there's your law enforcement." Elle pointed out and Novilene frowned as she twirls her pen in deep thought.

"But he was smart, got a degree on Uncle Sam, and ended up a Doctor with Special Forces and bounced around from the hospital since his discharge in 2001." He read off the papers and throwing them out.

"Has Dr. Landman... been had a reprimand? Has he had any kind of major blow up to his ego?" Novilene asks the woman

"Last month, he was passed over for Chief of Surgery." The woman answered.

"Let's get a warrant for his house. Let's see if we find the weapon." Gideon ordered Morgan.

"Okay." Morgan agreed then leaving the room.

"What can I do to help?" The woman asks them.

"You can tell me where he is right now."

* * *

Elle, Novilene, JJ and Reid are watching Gideon confronting Dr. Landman. Novilene frowned and crossing her arms.

"That guy gives me creeps." Elle muttered.

"You and me both." JJ agreed with her.

"At least my dad let do the talk." Novilene pointed out and she tilts her head observing Dr. Landman. "He knew that if Dr. Landman flirts or hits me more, I'm going to do more than a slap."

"He hits on you?" Reid asks curiously and scowled that he didn't really appreciate someone to hit his friend/crush.

"Yeah, I have zero interest in him." She gave Dr. Landman a cold glare as he jumped in fear seeing her cold expression. "At least he takes the hint."

Elle chuckled and hugging the girl that seeing the man is terrified of her. "Now I know why they called you Ice Princess it's because of your cold, calculative look." Elle commented.

"I didn't know that I could be scary." She pouts as JJ giggled and Reid just smiled at her.

"You are scary sometimes." JJ commented and she observed her enough of the young woman's attitude. "Is it true about him, Holmes, being a psychopath?"

"No." Novilene immediately answered and feels defensive whenever they talk Sherlock behind his or her back. "He's a sociopath but never a criminal. I know that Sherlock could be a sadist and always rude towards other people but they didn't know him very well as I do. Some people easily judge him because of his misbehavior and loves solving crimes."

"You manage to friends with him." Reid pointed out and noticing the difference between Sherlock and Novilene despite never seeing Sherlock personally.

"Yes because I'm the only one who can understand him like an open book where no one does." Sherlock hates her at first because she's the first girl he couldn't read. Novilene, being a persistent girl she is, wanting to befriend him and showing how to read human behavior by simply looking. Novilene noticed Hotch is approaching them. "You get anything from his car?"

"It's a red 2-seat Maserati." Hotch answered.

"Heh. Of course." JJ commented and scoffs

"If he's the shooter, he has another vehicle."

Novilene focuses on Gideon and Dr. Landman by reading their lips when she tunes everyone out. She feel something bad going to happen and feel like going to vomit.

"Great. Let's take a walk to the E.R." Hotch glances at Reid to come with them.

Novilene pulls Elle away and grasps their hands, staring at them worriedly. "I... I had a bad feeling about this and please be careful, both of you." Novilene pleads at them worriedly.

"We will." Hotch assured her and taking her advice seriously. After knowing Novilene for a long time, her feelings are always a sense of danger.

* * *

Gideon gets out of the operation room and sighs heavily. "He has the worst narcissistic personality disorder I've ever seen, but it's not likely him." Gideon commented and stared at his daughter. "I also hate the way he stares at you."

"Join the club, dad." Novilene spoke up and jumped in surprised they heard the gunshot. "Spen and Hotch."

"Let's go." Gideon and the others lead him where the ER is.

They froze seeing a lot of SWAT officers are here and Morgan approached them in his serious expression.

"Please tell me that it's not the gunshot we heard, Morgan." Novilene pleads at him as her heartbeat pounds in fear for Reid and Hotch's lives.

"It was a gunshot and it was Phillip Dowd, our Unsub. He's armed and has a room full of hostages-"

"Including Spen and Hotch as well." She sighs heavily and stared at him. "Tell us what you know about him?" She asks in a calm tone and ignoring the fear inside of her.

"He joined the army at 18, went to ranger school, did 6 years before being dishonorably discharged in '95 for conduct unbecoming, obviously lied about it, joined the Arlington P.D."

"You were right. He was a cop." JJ commented that Gideon and Novilene thought the same when the Unsub happened to be a former Army then became a cop later on.

"For 9 months." Elle added. "When they found out he lied about the discharge, they kicked him out. Soon thereafter, Dowd got his nursing license. He's been bouncing from hospital to hospital ever since."

 **"Panginoon, tulungan niyo po kami. (Lord, please help us.)"** She muttered and approaching Sergeant Weigart. "Sir, can I talk to you for a minute?" Gideon noticed that she's going to talk with Weigart privately.

Weigart leads her far from the SWAT members and she stared at him with her serious expression.

"Please don't send your men in yet." Novilene suggested to the Sergeant.

"You have to consider the possibility that your men are dead or at least disarmed." Weigart pointed out and Novilene mentally sighs.

"Agent Hotch is a very experienced profiler. He's gonna do whatever he has to get Dowd to like, trust us." Novilene spoke in her serious expression and didn't back down the glare been given her. "And once he does... He'll get Dowd to end this peacefully. All I ever ask is to give him time."

"Dowd's already shot, 10 people. He killed a cop."

"The cop is dead. This man is violent, deranged paranoid. It's a game for him, he's going to do whatever he has to." She explained to him. "You send your men in, they're just going to become villains in his little hero fantasy. You're letting him call all the shots."

"How are your unarmed men gonna stop him? I don't even know how you manage to become an FBI in the first place especially at your age." He glared at her.

"It's not the right time up to debate about my age here, sir. They're not unarmed and they have his profile. They understand him." She spoke in a calm tone despite she's angry about judging her age by becoming a Captain from London Metropolitan Police to an FBI Agent now.

"3 minutes. Then my men are ready to take the E.R. Your men... have 3 minutes." Weigart walked away from her.

She sighs shaking and leaning on the wall worrying about Hotch, Reid and the hostages inside of the E.R. Novilene approached her team giving them a small smile on them.

"I did everything I could, guys. They gave us 3 minutes to let Spen and Hotch handle Dowd." She explained and sitting down right next to Elle.

"You did everything you could, mini Gideon." Morgan assured the young woman.

"Yeah, the funny thing is. They judge me so easily because of my age." Novilene smiled bitterly and clenching her hand into fists. "I can't blame their jealousy, envy and hatred towards me."

"They're a bunch of idiots who didn't take you seriously, Nov." Elle spoke and hugging the girl. "You're my favorite genius girl, don't tell Reid about that."

She giggled and hugging Elle back. "My lips are sealed." The team smiled seeing Novilene is herself now.

* * *

Novilene approached Reid and hugging him tightly. He was startled at the gestured but hugging her back. Reid could smell the lavender of her scent as they pull away from each other. Novilene grabs her handkerchief and wipes the blood at his left lower lip.

Hissing in pain by the sudden touch and Novilene is staring at his brown eyes. "Sorry, you got a bit of blood." She smiled apologetically and touching the bruise on his left cheek lightly. "I'm glad that you, Hotch and the civilians are alright."

"We are, I heard that you pleaded with the Sergeant to give us time."

"Yeah, I always have faith and hope that you guys will stop him." She squeezes his hand lightly. "I'm not going to ask if you're feeling better or not."

"Thanks, Lenny." He smiled at her caring attitude. Novilene never questions of their feelings unless they are ready

"I'm proud of you Spen, you save people's lives." Novilene lean down and kiss him on the cheek of his bruise. "You're a Knight, to them." She pulled away and leaving the blushing young man.

"She kissed me..." He muttered and placing his hand on the right cheek.


End file.
